■i.V 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON.  N.  J. 


PRESENTED  BY 

Princeton  University  Library 


Division   _  ^ 


Section . 


sec 
SioH 


SERMONS 


ON 


IPIBA(B'iPIl(giiIL  S10I3JH3(B"5rS< 


BY  ftOBERT  WALKER, 

lATE  ONE  OF  THE  MINISTERS  OF  THE  HIGH  CHURCH  OF  EDINBUROK 

i 


TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED, 

A  CHARACTER  OF  THE  AUTHOR, 

BY  HUGH  BLAIR,  D.  D, 


FIRST  COMPLETE  AMERICAN  EDITION 


THREE  VOLUMES  IN  TWO. 


VOL.  I. 


TRENTON,  N.  J. 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  JUSTICE  AND  A.  m'sEAN 

3.  JUSTICE  PRINTEK. 

18  20. 


ADVERTISEMENT, 


From  the  last  Edinbursrh  edition. 


The  Sermons  of  the  Reverend  Robert  Walker  have  long  and 
justly  enjoyed  a  large  portion  of  Public  approbation.  Those 
which  were  published  in  the  Author's  lifetime  acquired  a  rapid 
reputation.  The  Sermons  which  were  added  after  his  death, 
though  deficient  perhaps  in  the  last  polish  of  an  intended  publi- 
cation, did  not  detract  from  his  well-earned  fame;  and  the  whole 
Work  has  steadily  maintained  the  respect  which  it  at  first  acquired. 

The  preseiat  Edition,  in  three  Volumes,  contains  all  the  Ser- 
mons of  Mr-  Walker,  which  have  appeared,  either  during  his 
life  or  after  his  death--r-as  well  tliose  which  were  published  sepa-^ 
rately  as  those  which  were  collected  in  volumes. 

Though  there  were  neither  striking  incidents,  nor  much  vari- 
ety, in  the  life  of  the  Author,  the  following  facts  will  not  be  un- 
acceptable to  his  friends. 

He  was  born  in  Canongate,  where  his  father  was  minister,  in 
1716.  He  received  a  regular  education  at  the  University  of  Ed- 
inburgh. Happening  to  reside  for  a  few  months  in  1737  with  a 
clergyman  in  Galloway,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  by 
tlie  Presbytery  of  Kircudbright.  In  1738,  in  consequence  of  an 
unanimous  call,  he  was  ordained  minister  of  Straiton,  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Ayr.  H^  always  mentioned  tliis  situ- 
ation with  particular  satisfaction,  and  considered  the  years  which 
he  spent  at  Straiton  as  among  the  happiest  years  of  his  life.  In 
1746  he  was  translated  to  the  Second  Charge  of  Soulh  Leith. 
He  was  then  in  the  prime  of  life  ;  and  never  appeared  to  greater 
a^'antage  than  while  he  remained  in  this  station,  either  in  hi: 


iy  ADVERTISEMENT. 

public  labours,  or  in  his  private  intercourse  witti  his  friends.  In 
1754  he  was  called  to  be  one  of  the  Ministers  of  Edinburgh; 
and  as  there  were  at  that  time  three  vacancies  in  the  city,  and 
he  was  the  senior  minister  among  those  who  were  called  to  sup- 
ply them,  he  was  immediately  fixed  in  one  of  the  Collegiate 
Charges  of  the  High  Church.  The  distinguished  reputation 
which  he  maintained  to  the  end  of  his  life  in  that  conspicuous 
station,  is  well  known  to  the  Public.  He  had  naturally  a  sound 
constitution  ;  and  enjoyed  an  uninterrupted  series  of  good  health, 
till  the  month  of  February  1782,  he  was  suddenly  seized  with 
an  apoplexy.  He  recovered  at  that  time;  but  his  spirits  and  vi- 
gour were  greatly  impaired.  He  went  to  the  country  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  following  summer;  and  his  health  was  so  far  re- 
stored, that  he  was  able  to  return  to  his  ministerial  labours  in  the 
month  of  September.  From  that  time  he  continued  to  officiate 
regularly  in  Public  till  death  put  an  end  to  his  labours  and  to  his 
life  together.  On  Friday  the  4th  of  April  1783,  it  was  his  turn 
to  preach  in  the  morning.  He  left  his  house  in  good  health,  and 
performed  the  Public  service  in  his  usual  manner.  In  the  con- 
clusion, he  discovered  some  symptoms  of  uneasiness;  and  in  his 
return  from  the  church,  said  to  a  friend,  that  he  had  got  a  head- 
ache by  preaching.  Having  reached  his  own  house  with  some 
difficulty,  he  was  instantly  seized  with  a  stupor;  and  though  im- 
mediate assistance  was  procured,  he  expired  in  less  than  two 
hours. 

The  Editor  does  not  presume  to  delineate  his  character.  This 
has  already  been  done  by  a  more  masterly  hand.  The  Reverend 
Dr.  Blair,  who  has  given  many  other  testimonies  of  respect 
for  the  memory  of  his  deceased  colleague,  has  been  so  obliging 
as  to  permit  the  publication  of  the  concluding  part  of  his  sermon, 
preached  on  the  13th  of  April  1783  ;  for  which  the  Editor  takes 
this  public  opportunity  of  expressing  his  best  and  most  grateful 
acknowledgments, 


CONCLUSION  OF  SERMON 

From  Ecclesiastes  xii.  7, 

Preached  in  the  High  Church  of  Edinburgh^  hy  Dr.  Hugh  Blaih, 
13th  Jipril  1783,  on  occasion  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Robert  Walker. 


■  '  After  what  has  been  said  on  the  subject  of  death  in  gen- 
eral, and  in  particular  upon  the  uncertainty  of  the  lime  of  it,  your 
minds  must  naturally  have  turned  towards  that  melancholy  event 
which  has  lately  befallen,  in  the  sudden  removal  of  your  faithful 
and  worthy  Pastor;  and  you  will  easily  imagine,  that  this  has 
given  occasion  to  the  train  of  meditation  we  have  now  been  pur- 
suing. Upon  such  an  occasion,  I  know  this  Congregation  will 
indulge  me,  in  paying  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory 
of  a  colleague  whom  I  esteemed  and  loved ;  and  in  connexion 
with  whom  I  have  comfortably  past  a  great  part  of  my  life.  He 
was  the  acquaintance  and  companion  of  my  youth.  For  nearly 
the  period  of  twenty-five  years  we  were  associated  in  the  charge 
of  this  Congregation;  and  during  all  that  long  tract  of  time,  though 
we  often  differed  in  sentiment  about  public  matters,  yet  that  dif- 
ference never  interrupted  our  cordial  correspondence,  nor  occa- 
sioned any  breach  of  mutual  friendship.  The  character  of  his 
mind,  indeed,  was  such  as  fitted  him  for  agreeable  intercourse 
with  all  who  had  any  connexion  with  him.  His  understanding 
was  sound  and  just.  His  passions,  though  originally  strong,  were 
brought  under  remarkable  government.  His  disposition  was  cheer- 
ful; his  temper  calm  and  regular.  God  had  blessed  him  with  great 
natural  abilities.  To  a  quick  and  solid  judgment  were  added  the 
powers  of  the  most  correct  taste,  which  he  enjoyed  in  a  high  and 
uncommon  degree.  Seldom  have  any  been  endowed  with  a  more 
just  discernment  of  what  is  beautiful  in  composition  and  discourse, 
or  with  a  more  accurate  sensibility  to  what  is  becoming  in  man- 


VI 

ners  and  behaviour.  Possessing  these  talents,  he  was  at  the  same 
time  modest,  unassuming,  unpretending.  He  was  simple  in  his 
manners;  simple  in  his  taste  of  life;  altogether  free  from  ostenta- 
tion or  vanity.  A  manly  firmness  formed  the  distinguishing  part 
of  his  character.  As  he  acted  uniformly  upon  principle,  he  was 
bold  and  undaunted  in  maintaining  what  he  judged  to  be  right; 
but  without  the  heat  of  violence  or  passion.  No  man  ever  pos- 
sessed a  more  independent  spirit.  About  the  advantages  of  world- 
ly fortune  he  was  little  solicitous.  He  formed  no  high  views.  He 
made  no  ambitious  claims.  He  was  easily  contented  and  satisfied ; 
and  as  he  was  entirely  free  from  covetousness,  so  he  was  a  stran- 
ger to  envy.  To  the  merit  of  others  he  was  ever  disposed  to  do 
justice.  His  eye  was  not  evil  when  they  prospered.  He  was  supe- 
rior to  the  little  competitions  and  jealousies  which  prevail  in  vul- 
gar minds. 

These  particulars,  relating  to  his  character  as  a  man,  I  am  tho- 
roughly qualified,  from  my  long  personal  knowledge  of  him,  fully 
to  ascertain.  With  regard  to  his  public  labours,  my  testimony  is 
of  less  consequence  to  those  before  whom  I  now  speak,  who  have 
so  long  had  full  proof  of  his  talents,  and  experience  of  his  assidu- 
ity and  fidelity  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  There,  indeed,  he 
appeared  in  his  highest  character,  as  an  eminent  and  successful 
labourer  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  To  this  important  work  his  great- 
est application  was  bent.  With  this  he  allowed  nothing  else  to 
interfere.  His  whole  ambition  centered  in  acting  his  part  with 
the  dignity  and  propriety  that  became  the  sacred  character  which 
he  bore.  By  the  elegance,  neatness,  and  chaste  simplicity  of  com- 
position in  his  sermons,  and  by  the  uncommon  grace  and  energy 
of  his  delivery,  he  rose  to  a  high  and  justly  acquired  reputation. 
But  mere  reputation  was  not  his  object.  He  aimed  at  tcstifijing 
the  whole  counsel  of  the  grace  of  God;  at  dividing  rightly  to  eve- 
ry man  the  word  of  truth;  instructing  the  ignorant,  awakening  the 
careless,  reproving  the  sinner,  and  comforting  the  saint;  as  all 
who  belong  to  this  Congregation  well  know. 

Suitable  to  such  a  life  were  the  manner  and  circumstances  of 
lais  death.  It  pleased  Providence  to  carry  him  away  as  in  a  mo- 
ment, from  thf  discharge  of  that  work  in  which  he  delighted,  to 


Vll 

the  enjoyment  of  its  reward.  His  death  was  like  an  immediate 
translation  from  the  work  of  a  sanctuary  on  earth  to  the  employ- 
ments of  the  sanctuary  above.  He  was  permitted  to  escape,  in  a 
great  degree,  from  the  melancholy  approaches  of  the  last  foe.  He 
endured  no  long  continuance  of  pain.  He  underwent  no  violent 
struggle.  The  garment  of  mortality  easily  dropt  off;  and  the  ser- 
vant of  God  fell  asleep  in  the  Lord.  "  Mark  the  perfect  man, 
and  behold  the  upright;  for  the  latter  end  of  that  man  is  peace. 
Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord;  they  rest  from  their 
labours  and  their  works  follow  them."  May  the  "memorial  of  tlie 
just"  remain  with  us  "in  everlasting  remembrance!"  Let  us 
"  remember  them  that  have  spoken  unto  us  the  words  of  God." 
Let  us  be  "  followers  of  them  who  through  faith  and  patience  are 
now  inheriting  the  promises."  Let  us  live  the  life  of  the  righte- 
ous, that  we  may  die  his  death,  and  our  latter  end,  like  his,  may  be 
blessed ! 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  I.— 1  Thess.  iii.  8.                   page. 
For  now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the  Lord, 17 

SERMON  II.— Prov.  xv.  3. 

The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place,  beholding  the  evil 
and  tlie  good, 32  • 

SERMON  in.— Psalm  xix.  13. 
Keep  back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins,     ...     49  • 

SERMON  IV.— 2  TiIBhy  iii.  5. 
Having  a  form  of  Godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof,      70  ' 

SERMON  v.— Isaiah  liii.  3. 

He  is  despised  and  I'ejected  of  men  :  He  was  despised,  and  we 
esteemed  him  not, 86- 

SERMON  VI.— Romans  iii.  19. 
Now  we  know,  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith 
to  them  who  are  under  the  law  ;  that  every  mouth  may  be 
stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God,  101  • 

SERMON  VII.— Matthew  xi.  28. 

Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest, ,.114 

SERMON   VIII.— ZECHARIAHix.  12. 

Turn  ye  to  tlie  strong  hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope  :  even  to-day 

do  I  declare,  that  I  will  render  double  unto  thee,     .     .     .  129    ■ 

SERMON  IX.— 1  Peter  ii.  25. 

For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray;  but  are  now  returned  unto 
the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  souls, 143  • 

SERMON  X.— Hebrews  iv.  16. 
Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we 
may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need,     15G 

(6) 


Xll 


CONTENTS. 


page, 
us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our 
bodies  washed  as  with  pure  water,     .  385' ' 

SERMON  XXVII.— Romans  v.  10. 

For  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by 
the  death  of  his  Son;  much  more  being  reconciled,  we  shall 
be  saved  by  his  life, 401' 

SERMON  XXVIII.— HosEA  xiv.  8. 
Ephraim  shall  say,  W  hat  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols?     .414 

SERMON  XXIX.— 1  John  iii.  8. 

For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might 

destroy  the  works  of  the  devil, 42#-'^ ' 

SERMON  XXX.— Philippians  i.  27. 

Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  it  becometh  the  Gospel  of 
Christ, 448  * 

SERMON  XXXI.— Philippians  i.  27. 

Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  it  becometh  the  Gospel  of 
Christ. — .d  continuation  of  the  preceding  Setinon,     .     .     .     .462 

SERMON  XXXII.— Romans  xiv.  8. 

Whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord;  and  whether  we  die, 
we  die  unto  the  Lord:  ^\  hether  we  hve  therefore  or  die,  we 
are  the  Lord's, 479 

SERMON  XXXIII.— 1  Peter  v.  7. 
Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  he  careth  for  you,      .      .  493 

SERMON  XXXIV.— 1  Peter  v.  7. 
Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  he  careth  for  you. — >d 
continuation  of  the  preceding  Sermon, 506 


SERMON  I. 

Preached  in  the  High  Church  of  Edinburgh,  May  5,  1761,  at  the 
opening  of  the  Synod  of  Lothian  and  Twceddale. 

1  Thessalonians  ill.  8. 
For  now  we  live,  if  ye  standfast  in  the  Lord. 


J.  HE  author  of  this  epistle  is  introduced  into  the 
sacred  history  with  other  sentiments  and  views  than 
these  words  express.  He  makes  his  first  appearance  at 
a  scene  of  blood,  consenting  to  the  death  of  a  holy  mar- 
tyr, and  keeping  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him. 
Soon  after,  we  hear  of  him  making  havock  of  the  church 
of  Christ  in  Jerusalem,  entering  into  every  house,  and 
dragging  both  men  and  w'omen  to  prison  ;  nay,  such  was 
the  excess  and  fury  of  his  zeal,  that,  breathing  out 
threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the 
Lord,  he  persecuted  them  even  unto  strange  cities :  "  I 
verily  thought,"  said  he,  in  the  presence  of  Agrippa, 
"  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  But  here  we  behold  a  new  crea- 
ture indeed !  What  things  were  formerly  gain  to  Paul, 
these  he  counts  loss  for  Christ ;  the  once  hated  name  of 
Jesus  is  now  become  dearer  to  him  than  life  itself;  and 
he  who  in  times  past  persecuted  the  saints,  now  glories 
in  the  cross,  and  preaches  the  faith  he  had  endeavoured 
to  destroy. 


*♦ 


vol..  1, 


18  SERMON  I. 

Ill  my  text,  he  tlLscovers  a  temper  of  most  distinguislj- 
ed  excellence;  a  temper,  my  reverned  Fathers  and 
Brethren,  which  I  ho|)e  we  shall  not  barely  applaud; 
but  earnestly  covet  and  endeavour,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
to  possess. 

To  unfold  the  peculiar  excellence  of  this  temper,  and 
to  illustrate  the  importance  of  it  to  the  ministers  of 
Christ,  are  the  purposes  aimed  at  in  the  following  dis- 
course. 

The  first  thing  that  demands  our  attention,  is  the 
amiable  temper  expressed  in  these  words  :  JVow  we 
live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the  Lord. 

The  general  meaning  of  the  passage  is  obvious  :  It 
contains  an  obliging  and  spirited  declaration  of  the  apos- 
tle's good  will  to  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica.  But 
if  we  attend  to  his  situation  when  he  wrote  this  epistle, 
and  place  ourselves  in  the  circumstances  of  those  to 
whom  it  was  addressed,  we  shall  feel  an  emphasis  in 
the  word  now,  that  gives  a  surprising  addition  both  to 
the  tenderness  and  dignity  of  his  sentiment  and  expres- 
sion. 

Had  the  time  referred  to  been  a  season  of  prosperity  ; 
had  Paul,  in  the  height  of  worldly  felicity,  meant  no 
more  than  to  assure  the  Thessalonians,  that,  amidst  all 
his  affluence,  he  kindly  remembered  them ;  and  though 
at  present  beyond  the  need  of  wisiiing  any  thing  for  him- 
self, yet  that  the  report  of  their  steadfastness,  and  the 
hope  of  its  continuance,  had  made  a  considerable  addi- 
tion to  his  happiness,  and  heightened  his  relish  of  the 
good  things  he  possessed  :  even  upon  this  supposition, 
I  apprehend,  the  particle  now  would  justly  be  deemed 
emphatical,  and  worthy  to  be  accented. 

But  with  what  force  must  it  strike  us,  when  we  find 
that  it  refers  to  a  season  of  adversity  !  Paul,  at  the  time 


SERMON  I.  19 

of  writins;  this  epistle,  was  a  poor,  afflicted,  solitary  man ; 
banished  from  his  friends,  living  anions;  strani^crs,  la- 
bouring  with  his  own  hands  for  a  scanty  subsistence; 
and  destitute  of  almost  every  earthly  comfort. 

All  this  the  Thes««ah)nians  knew  full  well.  With 
grief  they  had  beheld  his  sufferings  in  their  own  city, 
when  "  the  unbclievins;  Jews,  moved  with  envy,  took 
unto  them  certain  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort,"  and 
raised  such  an  uproar,  as  obliged  them  to  send  him 
away  by  night  into  Berea.  They  further  knew,  that  the 
same  unbelieving  and  envious  Jews,  upon  hearing  that 
be  preached  wirh  success  at  Berea.  hail  followed  hini 
thither  also,  and  so  inflamed  the  multitude  against  him^ 
that  he  found  it  necessary  to  retire  as  far  as  Athens,  to 
get  beyond  the  reach  of  his  unrelenting  persecutors. 
Judge  then  with  what  emotion  they  would  read  this 
strong,  this  endearing  profession  of  his  concern  for  their 
welfare;  they  who,  under  God,  owed  their  conversion 
to  his  ministry,  and  to  whom,  as  I  just  now  observed, 
his  past  sufferings  on  their  own  account,  and  his  pre- 
sent distress,  were  perfectly  known. 

He  had  told  them  a  little  before,  that  the  bitterest  m- 
gredient  in  all  his  afflictions,  was  the  apprehension  he 
had,  that  his  sufferings  might  have  a  tendency  to  shake 
their  faith,  and  to  prejudice  their  minds  against  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ:  '^  For  this  cause,"  says  he,  "I  sent  to 
know  your  faith,  lest,  by  some  means,  the  tempter  have 
tempted  you,  and  our  labour  be  in  vain.  But  when 
Timotheus  returned,  and  brought  us  good  tidings  of 
your  faith  and  charity,  we  were  comforted  over  you,  in 
all  our  affliction  and  distress,  by  your  faith."  And  then 
he  adds,  For  now,  even  at  this  present  time,  distress- 
ed and  afflicted  as  we  are,  yet  now  ive  live,  if  ye  stand 
fast  in  the  Lord. 


30  SERMON  I. 

Here  then  the  purest  zeal  for  the  honour  of  his  Mas- 
ter, and  the  most  generous  love  to  the  souls  of  men,  are 
happily  united,  and  feelingly  expressed  in  the  native 
language  of  a  warm  and  upriglit  heart.  I  say,  the  purest 
zeal  and  the  most  gen ei'ous  love  ;  for  no  tincture  of  sel- 
fishness appears  in  either:  if  Christ  is  glorified,  if  men 
are  saved,  Paul  obtains  his  utmost  wish ;  his  happiness 
is  independent  of  every  thing  else;  he  enjoys  all  that  in 
his  own  estimation  is  worthy  to  be  accounted  life,  if  his 
spiritual  children  stand  fast  in  the  Lord. 

And  is  not  this  a  temper  of  most  distinguished  excel- 
lence ?  When  I  called  it  amiable,  I  only  spoke  the  half 
of  its  praise  ;  it  hath  a  dignity,  as  well  as  a  beauty,  be- 
longing to  it,  superior  to  any  thing  that  is  commonly 
celebrated  by  that  name  among  men.  Would  we  behold 
heroism  in  its  fairest  and  most  exalted  form,  instead  of 
looking  for  it  among  those  whom  the  world  hath  styled 
heroes,  we  shall  succeed  far  better  if  we  turn  our  eyes 
to  Paul  of  Tarsus. 

Where  shall  we  find  such  determined  courage,  such 
cool  intrepidity,  and  contempt  of  danger,  as  in  this  good 
and  faithful  soldier  of  Christ?  ^'  Behold,"  said  he  to  the 
ciders  of  the  churcli  at  Ephesus,  *'  Behold,  I  go  bound 
in  the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that 
shall  befall  me  there  ;  save  that  the  Holy  Gliost  witness- 
eth  in  every  city,  saying,  that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide 
me.  But  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I 
my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  may  finish  my  course 
with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  I  have  received  of  the 
Jiord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God." 
Acts  XX.  23. 

With  what  invincible  fortitude  did  he  triumph  over 
adversity  in  every  frightful  shape  !  with  what  noble  free- 
dom and  independence  of  spirit,  did  he  exult  amidst 


SERMON  I.  21 

those  sufferings  of  which  human  nature  hath  the  great- 
est abhorrence  !  ^'  Even  unio  this  hour,''  says  he  in  his 
letters  to  the  Corinthians,  "  we  both  hunger  and  thirst, 
and  arc  bnlTetted,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling  place: 
we  are  made  as  the  filtli  of  tlic  world,  and  are  tiie  off- 
scouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day.  We  are  troubled 
on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed  ;  we  are  perplexed,  but; 
not  in  despair;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken  ;  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed;  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true;  as  un- 
known, and  yet  well  known ;  as  dying,  and  behold  we 
live  ;  as  chastened,  and  not  killed  ;  as  sorrowful,  yet  al- 
ways rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  making  many  rich;  as  hav- 
ing nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things." 

And  what  was  it  that  supported  and  enlivened  his 
mind  under  such  a  load  of  complicated  distress  ?  Hear 
the  account  he  gave  of  it  to  Timothy,  which  exactly 
agrees  with  the  declaration  in  my  text :  *•  1  endure  all 
things  for  the  elect's  sake,  that  they  also  may  obtain  the 
salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  with  eternal  glory." 
2  Tim.  ii.  10. — Paul  denied  himself  for  the  good  ofoth- 
ers,  and  cheerfully  renounced  every  temporal  interest 
to  promote  the  eternal  happiness  of  men. 

With  what  a  graceful  mixture  of  majesty  and  meek- 
ness does  he  appeal  to  the  Thessalonians  in  the  forego- 
ing part  of  this  epistle  !  "  Our  exhortation  was  not  of 
deceit,  nor  of  uncleanness,  nor  in  guile  :  but  as  we  arc 
allowed  of  God  to  be  put  in  trust  with  the  gospel,  even 
so  we  speak,  not  as  pleasing  men,  but  God,  which  tri- 
eth  our  hearts.  For  neither  at  any  time  used  we  flatter- 
ing words,  as  ye  know,  nor  a  cloak  of  covclousncss : 
God  is  witness  :  nor  of  men  sought  we  glory,  neither  of 
you,  nor  yet  of  others  ;  but  w'c  were  gentle  among  you, 
even  as  a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children  :  so,  being  af- 
fectionately desirous  of  yon,  we  were  willing  to  have 


j8S  SERMON  I. 

imparted  unto  you,  not  the  gospel  only,  but  our  own 
souls  also,  because  ye  were  dear  to  us.  For  what  is  our 
hope,  our  joy,  our  crown  of  rejoicing,  are  not  even  ye, 
in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming? 
for  ye  are  our  glory  and  joy.'' 

And  what  can  attract  our  love,  what  can  merit  our 
esteem,  what  can  excite  our  admiration,  if  such  a  temper 
doth  not?  A  temper  which,  to  all  the  magnanimity  of 
the  hero,  unites  all  the  piety  and  benevolence  of  the 
saint. 

But  it  will  not  avail  us  barely  to  esteem  or  admire 
this  temper  :  it  is  necessary,  my  Brethren,  that  we  our- 
selves be  possessed  of  it.  I  sliall  therefore  proceed,  as 
I  proposed,  in  the 

Second  place,  To  illustrate  the  importance  of  this  ex- 
cellent temper  ;  the  the  peculiar  importance  of  it  to  the 
ministers  of  Christ.  And, 

1st.  It  is  of  importance  to  guard  us  against  that  self- 
deceit  to  which,  of  all  men  in  the  world,  we  are  most  ex- 
posed. The  office  we  hold  removes  us  at  a  greater  dis- 
distance  than  other  men  from  ;iny  of  those  temptations 
to  gross  and  scandalous  sins,  which  wound  the  consci- 
ence, and  divulge  the  secret  corruptions  of  the  heart; 
so  that  mere  decency  of  conduct  may  pass  with  us  for 
real  sanctity  ;  and  what  is  purely  the  effect  of  restraint 
from  without,  may  be  mistaken  by  us  for  the  product  of 
a  new  nature  within.  Besides,  the  stated  duties  that  be- 
long to  our  office  frequently  contribute  to  cherish  this 
presumption.  God  may  enable  us  to  deliver  his  message 
with  becoming  warmth  anil  propriety,  for  the  sake  of 
those  committed  to  our  care  ;  and  his  word,  though  ut- 
tered by  unhallowed  lips,  may  enter  with  power  and  ef- 
ficaey  into  the  hearts  of  our  hearers.  It  is  an  awful  truth, 
that  if  we  measure  ourselves  either  bv  our  manner  of 


SERMON  I.  as 

performing,  or  even  by  the  eflVcts  that  follow,  our  pub- 
lic ministrations,  we  shall  often  be  liable  to  err  very  fa- 
tally. Paul  tliought  it  possible  that  one  might  preach  to 
the  saving  of  others,  and  after  all  be  a  cast-aicay  ;  and 
I  can  easily  conceive,  that  the  preaching  to  others  may, 
through  want  of  attention  on  our  part,  be  in  some  mea- 
sure the  cause  of  it.  The  assistance  afforded  us  in  our 
Master's  work,  may  lead  us  to  form  a  better  opinion  of 
our  spiritual  condiiion  than  is  either  reasonable  or  safe: 
and  therefore  we  have  greater  need  to  look  frequently 
and  narrowly  into  our  hearts,  lest  the  gifts  we  receive 
for  the  use  of  the  church  sliould  pass  with  us  for  those 
peculiar  graces  of  the  Spirit,  which  prove  our  adoption 
into  the  family  of  God,  and  manifest  our  title  to  the 
heavenly  inheritance. 

But  did  our  souls  burn  with  that  fervent  zeal  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  that  vehement  thirst  for  salvation  of 
men,  which  fired  the  generous  breast  of  this  apostle,  we 
should  be  in  no  danger  of  judging  too  favourably  of  our- 
selves. Such  high  aims  would  cause  our  most  vigorous 
efforts  to  appear  so  little  in  our  own  eyes,  that,  instead 
of  yielding  fuel  to  our  pride,  they  would  rather  afford 
us  matter  of  self-abasement,  as  bearing  no  proportion, 
either  to  the  duty  we  owe,  or  the  exalted  felicity  to 
which  we  aspire.  Conscious  of  our  weakness,  how  ear- 
nestly should  we  then  address  God  for  the  influences  of 
his  Spirit,  to  aid  us  in  our  work,  and  to  impart  virtue 
and  eificacy  to  the  means  we  employ  !  And,  at  the  same 
time,  with  what  holy  severity  should  we  examine  the 
most  secret  recesses  of  our  hearts,  lest  any  root  of  bit 
terness  should  find  indulgence  there,  that  might  either 
unfit  us  for  service,  or  mar  our  usefulness,  by  provok- 
ing God  to  withhold  that  grace  upon  which  both  our 
ability  and  success  depend ! 


§4*  SER3I0N  I. 

2dli/.  The  importance  of  this  temper  will  further  ap- 
pear from  the  inflmMice  it  would  have  upon  our  public 
ministralions.  It  would  make  us  better  preachers  as 
well  as  better  men. 

We  should  never  be  at  a  loss  for  proper  subjects  of 
discourse.  This,  you  must  be  sensi!)le,  is  not  always  the 
case.  Most  of  us,  I  suppose,  will  have  the  candour  to 
acknov,'le.'ige,  that  we  have  frequently  spent  more  time 
in  seeking  a  text,  than  might  reasonably  have  sufficed 
to  compose  a  sermon  :  and  we  shall  probably  find,  up- 
on a  fair  recollection,  that  this  waste  of  time  has  hap- 
pened most  commonly  when  we  set  out  in  preparing 
for  our  public  work,  with  no  other  view  than  to  make 
a  sermon.  Fancy  is  a  roving  capricious  guide ;  but, 
when  necessity  prescribes,  it  always  speaks  with  pre- 
cision. We  may  know  with  certainty  what  our  people 
need,  when  we  can  only  imperfectly  guess  at  what  will 
please  tiiem  ;  so  that,  did  the  necessities  of  our  hearers 
get  the  disposal  of  our  studies,  we  should  seldom  hesi- 
tate long  in  the  choice  of  our  subjects ;  and,  give  me 
leave  to  add,  we  should  more  frequently  preach  the 
same  necessary  truths,  and  press  them  from  time  to  time 
with  redoubled  earnestness,  till  they  appeared  to  have 
obtained  their  full  eftect  upon  the  hearts  of  those  com- 
mitted to  our  care. 

Nor  is  this  all. — The  temper  I  am  recommending 
would  assist  us  in  forming  and  pronouncing  our  ser- 
mons, no  less  than  in  choosing  the  most  profitable  sub- 
jects. As  it  would  reject  all  useless,  unedifying  specu- 
lations, so  it  would  effectually  banish  those  gaudy  or- 
naments which  too  often  put  the  preacher  in  the  place 
of  his  text;  or,  as  one  hath  well  expressed  it,  serve  on- 
ly to  evaporate  weighty  truths,  and  to  make  them  ap- 
pear as  light  as  the  style.    Had  we  no  other  aim  tliaii 


SERMON  I.  25 

to  guide  our  hearers  in  the  way  to  heaven,  perspicuity 
and  persuasion  would  then  become  the  sole  objects 
of  our  attention;  and  these,  I  apprehend,  are  more  with- 
in every  man's  reach  than  is  commonly  imagined.  I 
never  knew  any  person  much  at  a  loss,  feelingly  and 
intelligibly,  to  impart  to  others  what  he  greatly  feared, 
or  loved,  or  hated.  Rules  of  art  have  their  use ;  but 
though  art  hath  collected  rules,  it  was  Nature  that  fur- 
nished them.  Both  order  and  elocution  are  the  offspring 
of  a  warm  and  understanding  heart.  Let  us  only  feel  tx) 
purpose,  and  then  we  shall  speak  with  propriety  and 
energy.  Did  we,  like  Paul,  travail  as  in  birth  till  Christ 
were  formed  in  the  souls  of  men,  would  not  our  tongue 
be  as  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer?  Did  we  consider  that 
we  speak  in  the  name  of  God  ;  that  we  speak  to  the 
creatures  of  God  ;  to  them,  I  say,  and  not  merely  before 
them  ;  that  we  publish  those  truths  by  which  only  they 
can  be  saved,  and  proclaim  that  law  by  which  they 
shall  be  judged  ;  did  we  consider  that  they  and  we  are 
fast  hastening  to  judgment,  and  that  neither  of  us  can 
know  how  soon  the  summons  of  removal  may  be  put  in- 
to our  hands  ;  what  shall  I  say  ?  would  not  Elihu's 
situation  become  ours,  when  he  thus  expressed  himself, 
*^  I  am  full  of  matter,  the  spirit  within  me  constraineth 
me:  behold  ray  belly  is  as  wine  that  hath  no  vent;  it  is 
ready  to  burst  like  new  bottles  ;  I  will  speak  that  I  may 
be  refreshed."  Job  xxxii.  18,  19,  20.  Nay,  my  breth-' 
ren,  with  such  great  objects  in  our  eye,  we  should  not 
only  speak,  but  we  should  speak  as  Elihu  resolved  to 
do  in  the  following  part  of  the  quotation,  we  should 
speak  with  an  honest  and  impartial  freedom ;  for  tlius 
he  goes  on :  "  Let  me  not,  I  pray  you,  accept  any  mail's 
person,  neither  let  me  give  flattering  titles  unto  man ; 

VOL.  I.  B  "^ 


^6  SER3I0N  I. 

for  1  know  not  to  give  flattering  titles ;  in  so  doing,  my 
Maker  would  soon  take  me  away." 

3dly.  This  temper  would  likewise  have  a  happy  in- 
fluence upon  all  the  parts  of  our  external  conduct.  We 
should  not  think  it  enough  to  abstain  from  evil ;  we 
should  carefully  avoid  every  thing  that  had  the  appear- 
ance of  evil,  that  our  conduct  might  have  nothing  in  it 
of  a  doubtful  nature,  nothing  ambiguous,  or  that  needed 
to  be  explained.  He  lives,  alas  !  at  a  poor  rate,  and  far 
below  tlie  dignity  of  his  sacred  oflice,  who  is  frequently 
put  to  it  to  vindicate  his  conduct,  and  to  prove  that  he 
Jiath  not  exceeded  his  Christian  liberty.  A  minister  of 
Christ  ought  to  go  before  his  people  in  every  thing  that 
is  true,  just,  pure,  lovely,  and  of  good  report.  His  light 
ought  to  shine  in  the  eyes  of  men  ;  nay,  to  shine  with 
such  strength,  that  they  may  see  his  good  works,  and 
be  constrained  to  glorify  his  Father  in  heaven. 

A  holy  life  is  the  most  persuasive  sermon,  expressed 
too  in  a  language  which  men  of  all  nations  equally  un- 
derstand. It  even  explains  what  other  sermons  mean, 
instead  of  needing  to  be  explained  by  them.  Men  will 
see  more  beauty  in  a  truly  virtuous  action,  than  in  the 
most  rhetorical  description  we  can  give  of  it ;  and  then, 
they  lose  no  time,  for  they  see  it  at  once  :  whereas,  be- 
sides the  necessary  expense  of  time,  much  skill  and  ad- 
dress must  likewise  be  employed,  to  unfold  it  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  make  it  thoroughly  understood  and  rel- 
ished. 

In  this  way,  my  Brethren,  we  may  preach  without 
ceasing:  and  if  we  know  any  thing  of  the  temper  ex- 
pressed in  my  text,  we  shall  certainly  be  ambitious  to 
hold  forth  the  word  of  life  continually  :  and  so  to  exhib- 
it the  religion  of  Jesus,  that,  in  our  practice,  all  who  be^ 


SERMON  I.  2^ 

hold  us  may  have  an  easy  opportunity  of  reading  the 
laws  of  Christ  every  day. 

More  particularly  :  Were  we  possessed  of  this  tem- 
per, we  should  equally  disdain  to  court  the  great  by  a 
fawning  servility,  or  to  catch  the  vulgar  by  a  low  popu- 
larity. 

These  are  the  dangerous  extremes,  into  one  or  other 
of  whicli  every  unprincipled  minister  is  liable  to  be  se- 
duced. 

The  last  of  them  which  is  reputed  the  most  base  and 
contemptible,  is  commonly  the  resort  of  those  only  who, 
having  little  to  recommend  to  the  wise  and  good,  can 
find  no  other  way  to  emerge  from  obscurity,  and  to 
thrust  themselves  forward  into  public  view  ;  for  no  man 
will  stoop  to  this  mean  compliance  who  is  qualified  to 
act  in  a  higher  sphere,  if  he  is  not  forced  to  it  by  hard 
necessity,  either  to  cover  a  sore  he  wishes  to  conceal,  or 
to  bribe  men  to  wink  at  some  criminal  indulgence  which 
he  cannot  hide,  and  is  unwilling  to  forsake.  But  though 
the  other  extreme  is  generally  supposed  to  be  less  igno- 
minious, yet,  when  weighed  in  a  just  balance,  I  appre- 
hend it  will  be  found  at  least  equally  mean,  and  in  some 
respects  far  more  pernicious. 

The  popular  drudge  must  always  assume  the  appear- 
ance of  sanctity  :  he  must  declaim  strenuously  against 
vice,  and  study  to  have  liis  outward  behaviour  decent 
and  irreproachable.  Thus  far  the  gratification  of  his  fa- 
vourite passion  will  constrain  him  to  plead  the  cause  of 
religion,  and  to  say  and  do  many  things  which  may  have 
a  good  eflTect  upon  the  multitude,  whose  favourable  re- 
gard  he  is  anxious  to  obtain.  And  though  his  low  am- 
bition may,  upon  some  occasions,  prompt  him  to  take 
advantage  of  their  weakness,  by  inflaming  their  zeal 
about  matters  of  a  trivial  or  indifferent  nature;  yet,  as  he. 


38  SERMON  I. 

can  only  succeed  in  this  attempt  by  persuading  them 
that  such  things  are  important  and  necessary,  it  is  obvi- 
ous, that  however  he  may  impose  upon  their  understand- 
ing, and  give  them  stones  instead  of  bread,  yet  he  can- 
not l)e  said  to  corrupt  their  integrity,  neither  doth  he 
weaken  the  authority  of  conscience.  He  may  render 
them  ridiculous,  but  he  doth  not  make  them  knaves. 

Whereas  the  smiles  and  rewards  of  political  rulers 
(for  these  are  the  great  ones  of  whom  I  now  speak)  are 
usually  courted  and  obtained  by  very  different  means. 

As  a  supple  complying  temper,  unfettered  by  con- 
science, or  even  a  regard  to  decency,  too  often  proves 
the  best  recommendation  to  their  service  ;  hence  it  is, 
that  many  who  arc  candidates  for  their  favour,  are  so  far 
from  assuming  an  air  of  sanctity,  that  they  studiously 
avoid  whatever  can  be  deemed  the  peculiarities  of  their 
order,  that  they  may  have  nothing  to  distinguish  theni 
from  the  men  of  the  world,  or  to  render  them  suspected 
of  the  remotest  disposition,  either  to  canvass  the  com- 
mands of  their  superiors,  or  to  boggle  at  any  measures 
they  shall  please  to  adopt. 

The  pernicious  tendency  of  such  an  infamous  plan  of 
conduct  is  too  apparent  to  need  much  illustration.  Here- 
by they  withhold  from  their  patrons  the  most  convinc- 
ing and  obvious  proof  of  the  reality,  the  excellence,  and 
the  efficacy  of  that  religion  which  the  office  they  hold 
obliges  thera  tp  preach.  Description  and  argument,  if 
they  are  not  accompanied  with  a  visible  representation 
of  holiness,  will  make  but  a  feeble  impression  upon  those 
who  are  continually  beset  with  the  snares  of  prosperity. 
Besides,  it  often  happens,  that  such  persons,  by  means 
of  a  liberal  education,  are  in  a  great  measure  placed  (if 
I  may  so  speak)  beyond  the  reach  of  sermons:  they 
have  already  got  a  theory  of  religion  into  their  heads, 


SERMON  I.  ®9 

and  are  not  likely  to  hear  any  thing  they  knew  not  be- 
fore; so  that  they  need  striking  examples  more  than 
verbal  instructions.  These,  and  these  only,  are  of  suf- 
ficient force  to  rouse  their  attention,  and  to  carry  home 
conviction  to  their  hearts  with  power. 

Did  they  behold  men  of  moderate,  or  rather  of  scanty 
fortunes,  unbiassed  by  worldly  hopes  or  fears,  consistent 
and  uniform  in  their  whole  behaviour,  resolute  in  every 
part  of  duty,  inflexibly  honest,  and  fortifiod  against  all 
corrupt  influence  whatsoever ;  such  venerable,  though 
imperfect  images  of  God,  would  not  only  penetrate  but 
overawe  their  souls. 

A  holy  and  upright  minister  of  Christ  never  fails  to 
possess  a  secret  dominion  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  are 
of  the  most  opposite  character.  Hate  him  they  may,  and 
probably  will ;  but  at  the  same  time  tliey  are  con- 
strained to  reverence  and  esteem  him  :  even  '•  Herod 
feared  John,  and  observed  him,  and  did  many  things,'' 
because  he  knew  "  that  he  was  a  just  and  holy  man." 

Whereas,  on  the  other  hand,  when  they  see  those 
who  are  clothed  with  the  sacred  character,  paying  no 
regard  at  all  to  propriety  of  conduct,  but  mixing  with  the 
world,  and  living  at  large  as  other  men  do ;  when  they 
see  them  grasping  at  power,  or  scrambling  for  riches  ; 
spreading  their  sails  to  every  wind,  and  ready  to  em- 
bark in  any  cause  that  can  recommend  them  to  those 
who  are  able  to  gratify  their  ambition  or  covetousness  : 
however  they  may  avail  themselves  of  their  treason,  yet 
surely  they  must  despise  such  traitors  in  their  heart,  and 
look  upon  them  as  the  dregs  and  refuse  of  human  kind. 

But  alas  !  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  seldom  happens 
that  these  perfidious  men  become  so  thoroughly  con- 
temptible as  to  be  altogether  harmless.  Even  they  who 
desj)ise  them  most,  with  a  perverse  and  fatal  subtilty, 


30  SERMON  I. 

make  their  example  an  occasion  of  hardening  their  own 
hearts ;  fetching  arguments  from  thence  to  extenuate 
their  guilt,  and  to  cherish  their  presumptuous  hopes  of 
J  impunity  :  for  it  has  often  been  observed,  that  no  twig  is 
so  slender  that  a  wicked  man  will  not  cling  to  it,  when 
he  feels  himself  sinking  under  the  rebukes  of  conscience, 
and  the  overwhelming  fears  of  approaching  vengeance. 

It  is  surely  unnecessary  to  show,  that  the  temper  I 
have  been  recommending  would  eifectually  guard  us 
against  both  the  peynicious  extremes  I  have  been  speak- 
ing of,  and  render  us  equally  independent  of  the  high 
and  of  the  loio.  Zeal  for  the  honour  of  our  Lord,  and 
the  salvation  of  precious  and  immortal  souls,  Avould  en- 
noble our  minds,  and  break  every  slavish  yoke  in  pieces. 
A  true  minister  of  Christ  will  call  no  man  master:  like 
this  great  apostle,  he  will  endeavour  so  to  speak,  and 
so  to  act,  in  every  situation,  not  as  pleasing  men,  but 
God,  who  trieth  the  heart.  It  will  ever  appear  a  small 
matter  to  him  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment :  this  will 
be  his  labour,  his  only  ambition,  '^  that,  present  or  ab- 
sent, he  may  be  accepted  of  his  Lord."  Which  leads 
me  to  observe,  in  the 

Mil  and  last  place.  That  the  importance  of  this  tem- 
per shall  be  fully  understood  and  felt  by  us  all  at  the 
hour  of  death,  and  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

We  must  shortly  sicken  and  die  :  that  awful  period 
can  be  at  no  great  distance  from  any  of  us ;  it  may  be 
nearer  to  some  of  us  than  we  are  aware  of.  Let  us  con- 
sider it  as  present :  and  say,  my  Fathers  and  Brethren, 
were  this  the  last  day,  the  last  hour,  the  last  moment  of 
life,  what  would,  support  us  best  ?  what  would  yield  us 
the  most  effectual  consolation?  I  need  not  wait  for  an 
answer :  every  heart  must  have  made  it  aheady.  The 
only  triumph  of  a  dying  minister  is  that  which  Paulut- 


SERMON  I.  31 

tered  when  the  time  of  his  departure  was  at  hand  :  '*  I 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  fiinished  my  course,  I 
have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  rae 
a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  God,  the  righteous 
judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day."  He  who  can  say  with 
this  holy  apostle,  *'  To  me  to  live  is  Christ,'*  he,  and 
he  only,  can  with  him  subjoin,  "  and  to  die  is  gain." 
If  now  we  live  when  believers  stand  fast  in  the  Lord  ; 
if  to  promote  the  honour  of  our  Master,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  our  brethren,  be  the  objects  of  our  keenest  desires 
and  vigorous  pursuit,  death  can  do  us  no  harm  :  we  may 
cheerfully  look  beyond  the  grave  to  those  pure  regions 
of  everlasting  light,  and  love,  and  joy;  where  ^'they 
that  be  wise,  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment, and  they  that  turn  many  unto  righteousness  as 
the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."  Animated  by  these  hopes, 
let  us  henceforth  go  on  with  fidelity  and  zeal  in  per- 
forming every  part  of  duty  that  belongs  to  us :  and, 
"  though  Israel  be  not  gathered  by  our  means,  yet  shall 
we  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  our  God 
shall  be  our  strength."  He  who  graciously  acceptetli 
according  to  what  a  man  hath,  will  not  reject  "  our  la- 
bour of  love ;"  but  will  confess  us  at  last  before  an  as- 
sembled world ;  and  say,  with  all  the  indulgence  of  a 
kind  and  liberal  master,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faith- 
ful servants,  enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord."  Amen, 


as 

Proverbs  xv.  3. 

!Z%e  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place,  beholding  the 
evil  and  the  good. 


J.N  every  age  of  the  church  the  complaint  may  he  re- 
peated, that  "'  all  men  have  not  faith."  Many  who 
think  they  have  it,  are  fatally  deceived,  and  shall  be 
found  in  the  issue  to  have  been  utterly  devoid  of  this  gra- 
cious principle.  True  faith  determines  the  choice,  and 
governs  the  practice  according  to  the  nature  of  the  thing 
believed.  It  is  called  ''  the  evidence,"  or  demonstration, 
"  of  things  not  seen."  Let  the  objects  be  ever  so  remote, 
yet  faith  brings  them  near  to  the  mind,  and  renders  them 
as  powerful  and  operative  upon  the  affections  and  will 
as  if  they  were  both  present  and  visible.  Such  is  the  na- 
ture and  efficacy  of  this  grace :  from  whence  you  may 
judge  whether  it  be  so  common  as  men  are  apt  to  ima- 
gine. 

The  subject  of  my  text  will  afford  us  a  striking  illus- 
tration of  this  remark.  We  have  already  professed  our 
belief,  and  we  have  done  it  too  with  some  solemnity,  that 
the  eijes  of  the  Lord  are  in  this  jdace,  beholding  the  evil 
and  the  good.  This  we  virtually  acknowledged  when 
we  celebrated  his  praise:  but  we  did  it  most  explicitly 
when  we  offered  up  our  prayers  to  Iiim ;  for  to  what  pur- 
pose should  we  pray  to  an  absent  or  even  to  an  inatten- 
tive being?  Yet  if  we  examine  ourselves  impartially, 
and  try  our  faith  by  the  only  proper  test,  I  suspect  we 


SERMON  11.  33 

shall  find  too  much  reason  to  conclude,  either  that  we 
do  not  seriously  believe  this  doctrine,  or,  at  best,  that 
our  faith  is  very  weak  and  imperfect. 

Were  God  visibly  present  in  our  assembly;  were  the 
great  Immanuel,  God  in  our  nature,  standing  in  the 
midst  of  us  ;  would  we  praise  him  so  feebly,  or  pray  to 
him  so  coldly,  or  speak  and  hear  so  unfeelingly  as  we 
do?  And  shall  seeing,  or  not  seeing,  make  such  an  odds? 
Did  we  just  now  behold  the  object  of  our  worship,  would 
the  mere  shutting  our  eyes  render  his  presence  less  ve- 
nerable, or  the  influence  of  it  less  powerful?  No,  my 
brethren :  our  seeing  God  could  onlj'^  assure  us  that  he 
is  present ;  and  if  an  equal  assurance  is  obtained  by  any 
other  means,  the  influence  of  his  presence  will  in  either 
case  be  the  same.  It  is  not  therefore  to  the  seeing  or  not 
seeing  God  that  any  difference  in  our  temper  or  be- 
haviour must  be  imputed ;  but  to  the  believing,  or  not 
believing,  the  reality  of  his  presence :  from  which  we  may 
justly  infer,  that  every  degree  of  irreverence  in  our  minds^ 
and  every  undutiful  step  in  our  conduct,  is  a  symptom 
of  the  weakness  and  imperfection  of  our  faith;  and, 
consequently,  that  a  course  of  known  sin,  or  the  habit- 
ual indulgence  of  any  corrupt  affection,  affords  undoubt- 
ed evidence,  that  whatever  light  we  may  have  in  our 
understanding,  yet  we  do  not  believe  with  our  heart, 
that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  iilace^  heholding 
the  evil  and  the  good. 

When  these  things  are  considered,  it  will  appear  tiiat 
infidelity,  in  one  degree  or  other,  is  far  more  prevalent 
than  we  are  aware  of;  and  that,  notwithstanding  our 
professional  assent  to  the  doctrine  of  my  text,  yet  the 
best  of  us  have  need  to  get  our  faith  of  this  interesting 
truth  enlivened  and  confirmed.  I  shall  therefore  proceed 
to  lay  the  evidence  of  it  before  you  in  as  plain  and  ron« 

VOL.  I.  c  " 


a^  SERMON  11. 

vincing  a  manner  as  I  can ;  imploring,  in  the  entrance^ 
that  povvecful  blessing,  without  which  the  strongest  and 
most  persuasive  arguments,  like  a  dart  thrown  by  a  weak 
arm,  will  either  fall  short  of  the  heart,  or  if  they  reach 
it,  yet  strike  so  feebly  as  to  make  no  deep  or  lasting  im- 
pression. 

There  are  two  judges,  before  one  or  other  of  which 
every  question  of  this  kind  must  necessarily  be  tried ;  I 
mean.  Scripture  and  Reason.  Scripture  must  determine 
those  who  confess  its  divine  original ;  and  they  who  de- 
cline the  authority  of  this  judge,  can  appeal  to  none  other 
but  that  Reason  with  which  God  hath  endowed  them; 
there  they  must  stop,  the  cause  can  be  carried  no  where 
else.  If  therefore  it  shall  appear,  that  the  doctrine  of 
God's  universal  presence  and  knowledge  is  supported 
both  by  Scripture  and  Reason,  the  question  will  be 
finally  decided ;  and  unbelief  can  have  no  resource  but 
•perverse  and  wilful  obstinacy. 

First,  then.  This  doctrine  is  plainly  taught  and  re- 
peatedly asserted  in  the  sacred  writings. 

The  testimony  of  my  text  is  clear  and  strong:  Tlie 
eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place.  They  not  only  ^'run 
to  and  fro  throughout  the  earth,"  as  it  is  elsewhere  ex- 
pressed, which  form  of  speech  might  leave  room  to  sup- 
pose that  God  beholds  tilings  successively,  looking  first 
at  one  object,  and  afterwards  at  another,  but  they  are  in 
every  place  at  the  same  time.  How  awful  are  the  words 
of  Elihu  !  (Job  xxxiv.  SI.)  ^*  His  eyes  are  upon  the 
ways  of  man,  and  he  seeth  all  his  goings.  There  is  no 
darkness,  nor  shadow  of  death,  where  the  workers  of 
iniquity  may  hide  themselves." 

Nor  is  his  attention  confined  to  "  the  ways  of  man," 
by  which  is  commonly  meant  his  outward  behaviour; 
he  looks  immedialelv  iuto  his  heart,  and  sees  the  inward 


SERMON  II.  Si} 

frame  and  tendency  of  his  soul;  for  "  all  things  are  na- 
ked and  opened  to  the  eyes  of  iiim  with  whom  we  have 
to  do,  even  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.'' 
"  Man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance,"  said  Sam- 
uel, "  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  He  neede 
no  information  from  our  actions ;  he  looketh  directly  ou 
the  heart,  out  of  which  are  the  issues  of  life.  Nay, 
"  Hell  and  destruction  are  before  the  Lord,  how  much 
more  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  men?"  Prov.  xv.  11. 

Neither  do  the  Scriptures  represent  him  as  a  mere 
spectator,  but  as  a  witness  and  judge,  who  ponders  the 
thought  and  action  with  all  their  circumstances,  and 
makes  a  just  and  righteous  estimation  of  them :  "  I 
know,  and  am  a  witness,  saith  the  Lord."  "  The  Lord 
is  a  God  of  knowledge,  and  by  him  actions  are  weigh- 
ed." Nay,  he  weighs  the  spirits  :  ''  iVll  the  ways  of  a 
man  are  clean  in  his  own  eyes,  but  the  Lord  weigheth 
the  spirits."  Prov.  xvL  2L  He,  as  it  were,  puts  them 
into  a  balance,  so  exactly  poised  that  the  smallest  graio 
will  turn  the  scale. 

Farther,  the  Scriptures  not  only  ascribe  to  God  the 
most  unlimited  and  unerring  knowledge,  but  they  even 
render  it  absurd  to  suppose  the  contrary;  for  how  ex- 
tensive, how  spiritual,  are  his  commandments!  they 
reach  to  every  part  of  our  conduct;  and  not  only  direct 
the  outward  life,  but  give  law  to  the  most  retired  thought 
and  inward  aft'ection.  Thus  we  are  told  (Prov.  xxiv. 
9.)  that  "the  thought  of  foolishness  is  sin;"  and  the 
tenth  commandment  forbids  to  covet;  hereby  giving 
life  and  spirit  to  all  the  former  precepts,  and  teaching 
us,  as  our  Saviour  afterwards  explained  them  in  his 
sermon  upon  the  mount,  that  they  include  the  inward 
disposition,  as  well  as  the  outward  action  ;  and  not  only 
prohibit  external  violence,  injustice,  falsehood,  and  sen 


36  SERMON  II. 

suality,  but  hearfc-liatred,  causeless  or  excessive  anger, 
envy,  resentment;  in  short,  the  first  conception  of  lust 
in  the  soul,  as  well  as  the  birth  of  the  sinful  deed.  And 
can  any  suppose  that  God,  whose  wisdom  is  perfect, 
would  give  laws  to  his  creatures,  with  the  most  awful 
penalties  annexed  to  the  transgression  of  them,  if,  after 
all,  it  behoved  him  to  be  ignorant,  in  many  cases,  whe- 
ther these  penalties  were  incurred  or  not?  No,  surely. 
The  spirituality  of  the  law  is  a  full  proof  by  itself,  that 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lawgiver  must  extend  to  our 
thoughts,  no  less  than  to  our  words ;  and  that  the  dark- 
est corners  of  the  heart  lie  open  to  his  view,  as  much  as 
the  most  public  actions  of  the  life. 

Nay,  which  completes  this  part  of  the  evidence,  we 
find  God  actually  judging  men's  hearts,  and  rewarding 
or  punishing  them  according  to  their  secret  dispositions. 
Thus  it  is  written  of  Amaziah  [2  Cliron.  xxv.  2.)  that 
"  he  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
but  he  did  it  not  with  a  perfect  iieart.*'  David  is  ap- 
plauded for  his  good  intention  to  build  a  house  for  the 
Lord,  though  he  w  as  not  permitted  to  execute  his  de- 
sign: "Thou  didst  well,"  said  God,  "in  that  it  was 
in  thine  heart!''  And  Abijah,  the  son  of  Jeroboam,  ob- 
tained an  honourable  exemption  from  that  violent  death, 
and  want  of  burial,  to  which  the  rest  of  that  wicked 
family  were  doomed  ;  for  this  express  reason,  "  Be- 
cause in  him  there  was  found  some  good  thing  toward 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel."  1  Kings  xiv.  13.  Upon  the 
whole,  then,  you  see  how  clearly  and  explicitly  the 
Scriptures  decide  in  favour  of  this  doctrine,  that  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place^  beholding  the  evil  and 
the  good.  Let  us  now  inquire,  in  the 

Second  place.  What  Reason  teacheth  us  concerning 
this  matter.  And  here  I  shall  argue  from  such  principles; 


SERMON  II.  S^ 

as  all  men  are  agreed  m,  atheists  excepted,  aad  these 
are  not  parties  to  the  cause  in  issue.  Surely  none  of  us 
will  hesitate  to  acknowledge,  that  God  is  the  Creator, 
the  Preserver,  the  Governor,  and  the  Judge  of  the  world. 
Now,  if  in  each  of  these  essential  characters  of  the  De- 
ity we  shall  find  a  separate  proof  of  God's  perfect  know- 
ledge ;  how  irresistible  must  the  evidence  be  vvlien  they 
are  all  united,  and  with  what  powerful  conviction  must 
it  come  into  our  hearts  !  Let  us  then  consider  them  apart, 
and  try  how  far  they  can  lead  us  in  this  important  in- 
quiry. 

In  the  first  place,  I  apprehend,  that  such  knowledge 
as  the  Scriptures  ascribe  to  God,  will  be  found  insepa- 
rably connected  with  tlie  character  of  Creator.  Is  it  not 
reasonable  to  conclude,  that  he  who  made  man,  and  en- 
dowed him  with  the  faculty  of  knowing,  possesseth  in 
himself  a  very  perfect  knowledge  ?  Nay,  must  we  not 
conclude,  that  his  knowledge  is  as  far  superior  to  ours 
as  his  nature  is  exalted  above  ours  ?  Here,  then,  Rea- 
son leads  us,  by  two  very  easy  steps,  to  attribute  to  God 
an  infinite  knowledge,  at  least  a  knowledge  tiiat  we  can 
no  more  limit  than  we  can  do  the  Divine  nature  itself. 

The  inspired  author  of  the  94th  Psalm  addressed  this 
argument  to  the  infidels  in  his  day,  who  scoffingly  said, 
"  The  Lord  shall  not  see,  neither  shall  the  God  of  Ja- 
cob regard  it.  Understand,  ye  brutish  among  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  ye  fools,  when  will  ye  be  wise  ?  He  that  plant- 
ed the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear  ?  he  that  formed  the  eye, 
shall  he  not  see?  he  that  teacheth  man  knowledge,  shall 
he  not  know  ?"  To  the  same  purpose  Isaiah  speaks, 
(Isaiah  xxix.  15,  16.)  '^  Wo  unto  them  that  seek  deep 
to  hide  their  counsel  from  the  Lord,  and  their  works  are 
in  the  dark ;  and  they  say.  Who  seeth  us,  and  who 
knoweth  us  ?  Surely  your  turning  of  things  upside  down 


38  SERMON  II. 

shall  be  esteemed  as  the  potter's  clay ;  for  shall  the 
work  say  of  him  that  made  it,  He  made  me  not  ?  or  shall 
the  thing  framed  say  of  liim  that  framed  it,  He  had  no 
understanding?"  In  both  these  passages,  the  omnis- 
eience  of  God  is  rationally  deduced  from  these  obvious 
dictates  of  natural  religion  ;  that  we  are  the  creatures  of 
God,  and  that  we  derive  fi*om  him  all  the  faculties  we 
possess :  And  the  conclusion  appears  so  just  and  neces- 
sary, that  no  objection  occurs  to  me  by  which  the  force 
of  it  can  be  evaded.  But  this  argument  acquires  an  ad- 
ditional strength  when  we  consider,  in  the 

2d  place,  That  he  is  not  only  our  Creator,  but  like- 
wise our  Preserver ;  for  "  in  him  we  live  and  move." 
The  same  power  that  brought  us  into  being  is  continu- 
ally exercised  in  supporting  our  being ;  nor  can  we  live 
independent  of  God  for  one  moment.  Try  your  strength 
in  the  easiest  matters ;  try  if  you  ^*  can  make  one  hair 
white  or  black  ;"  and  when  you  have  found  yourselves 
unable  for  that  which  is  least,  let  this  convince  you,  that 
you  are  far  less  able  to  do  so  great  a  thing  as  to  sup- 
port and  prolong  life  itself. 

Is  the  ability  to  move  at  all,  then,  constantly  derived 
from  God  ?  and  can  any  man  dream,  that  God  hath  giv- 
en him  power  to  remove  to  such  a  distance,  that  his  own 
eye  cannot  reach  him  ?  Doth  he  enable  us  to  think,  and 
shall  we  exclude  him  from  the  knowledge  of  these 
thoughts  which  we  have  no  power  to  form,  but  what  we 
receive  from  him  ?  The  absurdity  is  so  glaring,  that  Rea- 
son must  at  once  reject  it  with  disdain. 

Mly.  Unless  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  were  in  every  place, 
bow  could  he  execute  what  belongs  to  the  Governor  of 
the  world  ?  Can  he  order  things  aright  which  he  doth 
not  see  ?  Or  must  liis  work  lie  unfinished  in  one  part  of 
iiis  dominions  till  he  hath  gone  to  perfect  it  in  another  ? 


SERMON  II.  39 

Or  shall  he  carry  it  on  by  delegates,  as  weak  and  finite 
creatures  are  obliged  to  do  ?  It  were  blasphemy  to  think 
so.  With  infinite  ease  doth  he  govern  the  world  he  hath 
made ;  and,  as  he  created  all  things  in  number,  weight, 
and  measnre,  so  he  disposeth  all  things  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  most  perfect  wisdom,  justice,  and  good- 
ness. And  whatever  objections  may  arise  from  a  partial 
view  of  his  administration,  so  that  in  some  cases  we  may 
be  tempted  to  say  in  our  hearts,  "  How  doth  God  know, 
and  is  there  knowledge  in  the  Most  High  ?"  yet  Rea- 
son teaeheth  us  in  general,  that  the  Lord  reigneth,  who 
is  wise  in  heart,  and  mighty  in  strength ;  and  that,  when 
clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him,  righteousness 
and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne.  But  this 
could  not  be  without  the  most  certain  and  unlimited 
knowledge  of  all  his  creatures,  at  all  times,  and  in  eve- 
ry place  and  condition.  How  should  he  conduct  this 
great  family  which  constantly  hangs  upon  him,  without 
the  most  intimate  acquaintance  with  every  individual? 
And  how  strong  must  our  conviction  of  this  truth  be, 
when  we  consider,  that  his  Providence  extends  to  the 
minutest  things?  that  "  the  very  hairs  of  our  beads  are 
numbered ;"  that  "  a  sparrow  doth  not  fall  to  the  ground 
without  him ;"  and  that  "  when  the  lot  is  cast  into  the 
lap,  the  whole  disposing  thereof  is  of  the  Lord." 

But  the  4!th  and  most  striking  argument  for  the  truth 
of  this  doctrine  arises  from  this  principle,  which  sober 
reason  hath  always  admitted,  viz.  That  God  is  the  Judge 
of  the  world :  for  as  he  is  to  decide  the  final  state  of 
men,  and  distribute  rewards  and  punishments  according 
to  the  strictest  equity,  so  that  every  mouth  shall  be 
stopped,  and  none  shall  be  able  to  charge  him  with 
rigour  or  undue  severity;  the  trial  must  be  fair  and 
open,  and  the  proof  absolutely  clear,  upon  which  a 


4a  SERMON  ir. 

senteuce,  so  essentially  connected  with  the  honour  of 
the  Judge,  is  to  be  founded.  But  how  shall  this  proof 
be  obtained  ?  shall  men  be  adduced  as  witnesses  against 
each  other?  This  scheme  is  encumbered  with  two 
objections ;  neither  of  which,  I  think,  can  be  easily 
removed.  If  all  are  guilty,  would  there  not  be  ground 
to  suspect,  that  every  one's  private  interest  might  bring 
them  to  a  general  combination  and  agreement  to  con- 
ceal each  other's  faults  ?  Or,  if  some  are  innocent, 
which  for  once  we  shall  suppose,  yet  even  these  may, 
or  rather  must,  be  ignorant  of  many  things  :  they  can 
attest  no  more  than  they  have  seen  ;  and  their  testimo- 
ny, at  the  utmost,  can  only  relate  to  outward  actions  ; 
the  temper  with  which  they  are  done,  and  the  princi- 
ples from  whence  they  flow,  are  beyond  their  know- 
ledge :  so  that  no  judgment  can  pass  upon  the  heart  in 
consequence  of  any  human  evidence.  Where  then  shall 
we  go  next  ?  Perhaps  you  will  say,  that  every  man's 
own  conscience  shall  witness  against  him  in  that  day. 
But  what  should  oblige  conscience  to  do  this?  will  mere 
authority  compel  a  man  to  become  his  own  accuser, 
when  he  knows  that  no  other  evidence  can  be  brought 
against  him?  This,  I  think,  is  harder  to  be  believed 
than  any  thing.  In  short,  I  see  no  way  by  which  we  can 
extricate  ourselves  from  these  pressing  difficulties,  but 
by  ascribing  to  God  that  perfect  and  universal  know- 
ledge which  my  text,  and  sundry  other  Scriptures,  attri- 
bute to  him.  Reason  must  have  recourse  to  this  at  last, 
or  deny  that  God  shall  judge  the  world.  It  is  his  om- 
niscience that  supplies  the  room  of  foreign  witnesses,  or 
makes  their  testimony  valid:  it  is  his  omniscience  that 
overawes  conscience,  and  constrains  it  to  bo  faithful : 
He  alone  can  tell  a  man  what  is  in  his  heart,  so  that  he 
dare  not  refuse  the  charge :  and  it  is  this  infallible  tes- 


SERMON  11.  4i 

timony  of  tlie  Judge  himself,  who  scans  all  actions,  who 
weiglis  all  thoughts,  whose  right  liantl  doth  ever  hold 
us,  and  whose  eye  is  constantly  upon  us,  that  will  stop 
every  mouth  in  the  great  day  of  decision,  and  convince 
the  whole  world  that  his  judgment  is  true  and  righteous. 
Thus  have  I  endeavoured  to  estahlish  your  faith  of 
this  important  truth,  that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  ev- 
ery place,  beholding  the  evil  and  the  good.  I  have  ar- 
gued the  cause  at  the  bar  of  Reason,  and  have  showed, 
you  the  intimate  connexion  of  this  doctrine  with  the  most 
acknowledged  dictates  of  natural  religion,  to  wit,  That 
God  is  the  Creator,  the  Preserver,  tlie  Governor,  and 
the  Judge  of  the  world.  It  is  possible  that  some  may 
ask.  Why  bestow  so  much  time  and  labour  in  proving 
a  point  which  nobody  is  disposed  to  deny?  Let  this  be 
my  apology:  I  cannot  recollect  the  time  when  I  serious- 
]y  questioned  the  truth  of  this  doctrine;  but  I  can  well 
remember  a  time,  when  it  had  no  more  influence  upon 
my  own  soul  than  if  I  had  been  sure  it  was  false :  And 
if  your  belief  be  of  the  same  kind,  as  1  fear  with  too 
many  it  is,  be  assured  you  have  heard  no  more  than  was 
needful;  nay,  if  an  infinitely  greater  Teacher  do  not 
preach  the  subject  over  again  to  your  hearts  with  pow- 
er, your  present  belief  shall  only  heighten  your  guilt; 
and  the  fewer  your  doubts  are,  the  greater  shall  your 
condemnation  be.  If  vour  hearts  do  not  feel  the  constant 
presence  of  God,  your  verbal  acknowledgments  and  spe^ 
culative  belief  of  it  shall  only  render  your  case  some- 
thing worse  than  the  infidels.  Satan  can  spare  this  tri- 
bute to  God :  so  long  as  your  faith  dwells  in  the  brain, 
or  in  the  tongue,  he  doth  not  grudge  you  the  possession 
of  it;  and  if  wliat  you  have  been  hearing  sink  no  deep- 
er, I  shall  readily  admit  that  you  have  heard  too  much. 
In  that  case,  I  have  no  doubt  lost  my  labour,  whether 

VOL.  I,  D 


4;^  SERMON  II. 

it  hath  been  acceptable  to  you  or  not.  But  I  shall  not 
close  the  subject  till  I  have  pointed  out  the  practical  use 
we  ought  to  make  of  it. 

Aud,  ist.  Let  us  take  occasion  from  this  doctrine  to 
admire,  with  humble  gratitude,  the  long-suffering  pati- 
ence and  tender  compassions  of  our  God.  Is  he  the  im- 
raediate  witness  of  all  our  sins?  doth  he  see  the  rebel- 
lious thought  rising  in  our  minds?  and  doth  he  still  look 
on,  and  spare,  till  it  be  fully  formed  and  executed?  How 
incomprehensible  then  must  his  patience  be!  We  find 
it  no  easy  matter  to  forgive  our  fellow  men,  even  when 
they  are  penitent;  with  what  difficulty  do  we  suppress 
our  resentment,  though  the  injury  hath  been  committed 
at  a  great  distance  of  time,  and  our  offending  brother 
himself  was  perhaps  the  first  who  informed  us  of  it,  by 
a  free  and  sorrowful  confession  ?  What  then  can  we 
think  of  the  divine  mercy  and  forbearance?  It  were 
much  in  God  to  forgive  the  transgressions  of  such  crea- 
turea  as  we  are,  though  he  had  not  seen  them  done,  and 
knew  nothing  about  tliem,  till  he  heard  them  from  our- 
selves, in  penitent  confessions  and  petitions  for  pardon; 
but  to  bear  with  us  till  lust  had  conceived  and  brought 
forth ;  to  see  the  whole  progress  of  the  mind,  its  plots 
and  contrivsAUces,  till  the  wicked  deed  be  done ;  to  be- 
hold the  heart  full  of  enmity,  without  one  relenting 
thought ;  to  spare  a  creature  thus  determined  to  affront 
him,  when  by  one  word  he  could  disarm  it  of  all  its 
power,  and  render  it  completely  miserable  !  it  is  this 
which  sets  the  patience  of  God  above  all  human,  above 
all  created  understanding.  0  !  my  brethren,  think  of 
this.  Should  an  earthly  prince  behold  one  of  his  sub- 
jects, who  lived  within  his  palace,  and  was  supported 
by  his  bounty,  treasonably  conspiring  against  him  with 
his  most  inveterate  enemies;  should  he^  instead  of  treat- 


SERMON  II  -la 

iug  him  with  the  severity  he  deserved,  condescend  to 
expostulate  with  him ;  and,  in  the  most  affectionate  man- 
ner, entreat  him  to  consult  his  own  safety  hy  returning 
to  his  duty,  and  not  to  wrest  a  punishment  from  him 
which  he  was  unwilling  to  inflict;  what  do  you  think 
would  be  the  state  of  the  traitor's  mind  in  such  circum- 
stances as  these?  how  would  it  confound  him  to  know, 
that  his  much  injured  sovereign  had  all  along  heen  pri- 
vy to  his  baseness,  but,  like  the  most  tender  father,  in- 
stead of  punishing,  had  only  pitied  his  folly  ?  We  may 
partly  conceive  this,  but  are  unable  to  express  it.  The 
most  artful  description  could  give  but  a  faint  represen- 
tation of  the  various  feelings  of  an  ingenuous  heart,  up- 
on such  an  affecting  occasion.  And  shall  not  the  tender 
mercy  of  our  God  have  the  same  influence  upon  us?  He 
neither  wants  power  to  inflict,  nor  provocation  to  justify, 
the  severest  punishment  our  natures  are  capable  of  en- 
during. Wiiat  sliall  we  say  then?  Hf  is  God,  and  not 
man  ;  and  therefore  it  is  that  we  are  not  consumed.  O 
let  his  patience,  to  which  we  are  so  infinitely  indebted, 
work  upon  our  ingenuity,  that  we  may  not  unworthily 
burden  it  any  more !  and  particularly  let  us  watch  over 
our  hearts  at  this  time,  when  the  subject  we  are  upon 
necessarily  obliges  us  to  set  the  Lord  more  immediately 
before  us,  as  the  witness  and  judge  of  our  present  tem- 
per and  conduct ;  for  surely  his  eyes  are  in  this  jjlacBj 
heholding  the  evil  and  the  good. 

2dly.  This  doctrine  hath  an  obvious  tendency  to  che- 
rish simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  and  to  banish  all 
.dissimulation  and  artifice  from  our  hearts.  He  who  re- 
alizeth  the  divine  presence  will  not  dare  to  be  a  hypo- 
crite ;  for  he  knows  that  his  triumphing  can  be  but  short, 
and  his  joy  only  for  a  moment.  Man  he  may  deceive, 
who  sees  no  farther  than  the  outside  ;  but  he  cannot  de 


i-1)  SERMON  II, 

ceive  God,  whose  eyes  are  in  every  place  ;  who  "  search- 
eth  the  hearts,  and  trieth  the  reins  of  tlie  children  of 
men."  And  to  what  purpose  should  he  labour  for  the 
applause  of  poor  dying  creatures,  if  he  expose  him- 
self to  the  contempt  and  abhorrence  of  that  infinite  Be- 
ing, upon  whom  he  necessarily  depends  for  life,  and 
breath,  and  all  things?  especially  when  he  considers, 
that  the  mask  he  now  wears  shall  ere  long  be  pulled 
ofl*,  and  his  real  character  exposed  to  the  view  of  an  as- 
sembled world,  in  that  day  '^  when  the  hidden  works 
of  darkness  shall  be  brought  to  light,  and  every  one  re- 
ceive according  to  what  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good 
or  bad?'"'  This  motive  to  sincerity  is  plain,  and  obvious 
to  the  weakest  understanding.  Formality,  or  mere  out- 
ward religiousness,  must  appear  a  vain,  unprofitable 
thing  to  the  man  who  believes  the  doctrine  of  my  text ; 
for  what  can  it  avail  him  to  be  well  thought  of  by  a  few, 
during  the  short  time  of  his  abode  on  this  earth,  if  at  last 
he  shall  become  the  object  of  everlasting  contempt;  not 
to  those  few  only,  but  to  all  that  ever  did  or  shall  exist, 
till  "  the  mighty  angel,  setting  his  right  foot  upon  the 
sea,  and  his  left  foot  on  the  earth,  shall  lift  up  his  hand 
to  heaven,  and  swear  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever.  That  time  shall  be  no  more." 

Sdly.  This  doctrine  affords  abundant  matter  of  com- 
fort and  joy  to  the  truly  godly.  Omniscience  is  the  at- 
tribute of  their  Fatlier  and  their  friend ;  his  eyes  are 
continually  upon  tiiem  for  good ;  he  knows  every  thing 
that  befalls  them,  and  is  perfectly  acquainted  both  with 
their  wants,  and  with  those  supplies  which  are  proper, 
and  necessary  for  them.  This  qualifies  him  to  be  the 
object  of  their  trust  and  confidence  ;  upon  him  they  may 
quietly  and  cheerfully  rely,  who  is  never  far  from  any 
one  of  them,  and  "  whose  eyes  run  to  and  fro  through- 


SERMON  II.  45 

out  the  whole  earlh,  to  shew  himself  strong  in  behalf  of 
those  whose  hearts  are  perfect  towards  him." 

But  the  omniscience  of  God  is  still  more  comfortable 
upon  other  accounts.  What  a  stay  and  support  did  it 
prove  to  Peter,  when  our  Lord  said  unto  him  the  third 
time,  (John  xxi.  17)  '^  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou 
me?"  Yes,  Lord,  said  he,  I  love  thee.  I  confess  indeed 
the  baseness  and  treachery  of  ray  late  conduct;  yet  still 
I  do,  and  must  protest,  that  I  love  thee.  It  is  true  that  I 
forsook  thee,  and  impiously  denied  thee;  and  wert  thou 
not  the  all-wise  God,  as  well  as  my  comi)assionate  Sa- 
viour, this  reiterated  question  would  strike  me  dumb, 
and  drive  me  from  thy  presence ;  for  how  could  I  pre- 
tend to  love  thee,  or  hope  to  be  credited,  after  such  base- 
ness and  perfidy?  But  this  is  my  refuge:  "  Thou,  Lord, 
knowest  all  things.''  Thou  canst  look  into  my  heart, 
and  see  thyself  enthroned  there:  and  therefore,  notwith- 
standing the  just  cause  I  have  given  to  all  the  world 
besides,  to  suspect  the  sincerity  of  my  present  profes- 
sion, yet  I  humbly  dare  appeal  to  thy  unlimited  know- 
ledge: "Thou,  Lord,  who  knowest  all  things,  knowest 
that  I  love  thee."  This  is  still  the  support  of  upright 
souls.  As  perfection  is  not  the  attainment  of  our  present 
state,  the  dearest  of  God's  children  arc  too  often  carried 
away  by  the  force  of  temptation;  insomuch  that,  had 
they  to  do  with  a  man  like  themselves,  they  might  des- 
pair of  being  able  to  convince  him  that  they  loved  him. 
But  the  sincere  penitent,  conscious  of  that  aifection 
which  glows  within  his  breast,  can  with  tears  make  his 
appeal  to  God  himself,  and  hope  to  be  believed;  because 
he  to  whom  he  appeals,  needs  no  other  proof  or  evidence 
to  convince  him  than  his  own  immediate  and  unerring 
knowledge. 

Once  more,  what  hope  and  joy  must  spring  up  in  the 


46  SERMON  II. 

soul  in  its  secret  addresses  to  God,  when  it  remembers 
that  his  eyes  are  in  every  place/  He  to  whom  we  pray 
understandeth  our  very  thoughts  afar  off.  "  Lord,'*  said 
the  Psalmist,  "  all  ray  desire  is  before  thee,  and  my 
groaning  is  not  hid  from  tlice.''  A  groan,  a  sigh,  cannot 
escape  his  notice;  nay,  "  he  puts  our  tears  into  a  bottle, 
and  a  book  of  remembrance  is  written  before  him,  for 
them  that  think  upon  his  name/^ 

Though  words  be  a  tribute  due  to  God,  yet  he  doth 
not  need  the  information  of  language:  "for  when  we 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  the 
Spirit  itself  helpeth  our  infirmities,  making  intercession 
for  us  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  he 
that  searcheth  the  hearts,  knowcth  what  is  the  mind  of 
the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints 
according  to  the  will  "  of  God/^  Rom.  viii.  26,  S7. 
When  the  humble  supplicant,  like  a  diseased  Lazarus, 
can  do  little  more  than  lay  himself  down  at  the  door  of 
mercy,  unable  to  pronounce  one  articulate  word;  when, 
like  the  publican  in  the  parable,  he  can  only  smite  up- 
on his  breast,  to  point  at  the  place  where  the  distemper 
lies ;  the  Holy  Spirit  puts  language  into  these  actions, 
which  God  perfectly  understands,  and  graciously  ac- 
cepts, because  his  eyes  are  in  every  j^lcice^  beholding  the 
evil  and  the  good. 

^thly.  This  doctrine  is  no  less  awful  to  the  wicked 
than  it  is  comfortable  to  the  sincere  and  good.  Where- 
ver they  are,  wliatever  they  do,  God  sees  and  observes 
them.  Men  are  fiequently  induced  to  commit  sin  by  the 
hope  of  concealment :  ''  The  eye  of  the  adulterer  wait- 
eth  for  the  twilight,  saying,  No  eye  shall  see  me;  and 
disguiseth  his  face."'  But  this  text  discovers  the  folly 
of  such  hopes;  the  Judge  himself  behohls  and  knows 
them  j  "  for  there  is  no  darkness  nor  shadow  of  death 


SERMON  II.  47 

wliei*e  the  workers  of  iniquity  can  hide  themselves  from 
Lim."  O  sinners,  think  of  this  ;  none  of  your  ways  are 
hid  from  the  Lord.  He  not  only  kuows  what  you  do, 
but  he  also  knows  what  opposition  and  restraint  you 
overcome  in  doing  it.  You  may  fain  excuses  to  your 
neighbours;  you  may  plead  the  violence  of  temptation, 
the  want  of  recollection,  or  the  strength  of  passion;  and 
by  these  alleviations  extenuate  your  guilt,  and  put  some 
sort  of  colour  upon  your  conduct;  but  God  sees  through 
all  these  thin  disguises;  he  that  heard  every  whispering 
of  conscience  within  thee;  and  ihe  complaints  of  this  op- 
pressed, subdued  deputy,  are  all  recorded  against  thee. 
Brethren,  this  is  a  most  alarming  consideration ;  may 
God  impress  it  upon  our  hearts,  and  give  it  that  pow- 
er and  influence  which  it  ought  to  have !  This  would 
humble  us  to  purpose,  and  make  us  to  loathe  ourselves 
in  our  own  sight  because  of  our  abominations. 

Surely  the  heart  of  man  is  with  good  reason  said  to 
be  ^'  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wick- 
ed." We  are  hastening  to  the  tribunal  of  that  Judge, 
whose  eye  hath  been  constantly  upon  us,  and  from 
whose  sentence  there  lies  no  appeal.  No  craft  or  policy 
can  evade  his  justice,  neither  can  any  power  deliver  out 
of  his  hands ;  yet  we  live  as  if  we  had  no  witness,  no 
judge,  nor  any  cause  of  importance  to  be  tried.  God  hath 
assured  us  in  his  word,  that  "  death  is  the  wages  of 
sin ;"  reason  condemns  it ;  conscience  either  remonstrates 
against  it,  or  rebukes  us  for  it ;  yet,  in  defiance  of  all 
these,  we  hug  it  in  our  bosom,  and  refuse  to  let  it  go. 

This  is  such  perverse,  such  unaccountable  folly,  that 
were  not  the  whole  earth  a  bedlam,  in  which  all  have  a 
tincture  of  the  same  disease,  it  would  be  regarded  with 
equal  surprise  and  horror.  One  of  the  most  probable 
means  for  restoring  men  to  their  right  senses,  is  the  seri- 


49  SERMON  II.  T 

ous  belief  of  this  important  doctrine,  that  the  eyes  offM 
Lord  are  in  every  place ^  beholding  the  evil  and  the  good. 
Which  leads  me  to  observe,  in  the 

5th  and  last  place,  That  an  habitual  impression  of 
the  divine  presence  would  prove  at  once  an  effectual  re- 
straint from  all  manner  of  sin,  and  the  most  powerful 
incitement  to  every  part  of  our  duty. 

This  would  deter  us  even  from  the  most  secret  sins, 
and  influence  us  as  much  in  our  closest  retirement  as  when 
we  act  in  the  public  view  of  the  world.  Had  we  no  other 
spectators  than  men,  it  might  be  sufficient  to  maintain  a 
fair  outside,  because  that  only  falls  under  their  obser- 
vation ;  but  there  is  no  covering  so  thick  as  to  hide  us 
from  God  ;  the  most  secret  deviation  of  the  heart  is  sub- 
ject to  his  cognizance,  as  mucly  as  the  most  open  trans- 
gression of  the  life;  and  sins  committed  in  the  deepest 
shades  of  darkness,  are  as  perfectly  known  to  him  as 
those  committed  in  the  clearest  noon-day.  None  of  the 
springs  from  whence  they  proceed  can  escape  his  notice^ 
nor  the  temper  of  mind  with  which  they  are  done ;  which 
give  tlie  truest  light  into  their  nature,  and  determine  the 
precise  degree  of  their  malignity.  What  reason,  then, 
have  we  to  keep  our  hearts,  as  well  as  our  lives,  with 
all  diligence;  and  to  dread  a  sin  in  privacy  no  less  than 
when  we  know  that  many  eyes  are  upon  us? 

With  respect,  again,  to  the  practice  of  our  duty,  the 
influence  of  a  realizing  faith  of  the  divine  omniscience 
is  so  apparent  that  it  needs  no  illustration.  "  1  have 
kept  thy  statutes  and  thy  testimonies,"  said  David  j 
"  for  all  my  ways  are  before  thee."  Were  God  habitu- 
ally present  to  our  minds,  we  should  think  nothing  too 
much  to  be  done,  or  too  hard  to  be  endured,  in  his  ser- 
vice. A  lioly  ambition  to  approve  ourselves  to  him,  by 
whose  final  sentence  we  must  stand  or  fall,  would  ren- 


SERMON  III.  49 

der  us  superior  to  every  trial,  and  carry  us  forward  in 
the  way  of  his  commandments  with  increasing  vigour 
and  alacrity.  We  should  never  ^^  think  that  we  had 
already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect ;  but,  for- 
getting the  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
to  those  tilings  which  are  before,  we  should  press  to- 
wards the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus.*' 

Upon  the  whole,  then,  let  us  earnestly  pray  God  that 
he,  by  his  grace,  may  strengthen  our  faith  of  this  impor- 
tant truth,  that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  jilacc^ 
beholding  the  evil  and  the  good;  and  enable  us  so  to  set 
him  before  us  all  the  days  of  our  pilgrimage  on  earth, 
that  hereafter  we  may  be  admitted  into  his  immediate 
presence;  where,  in  the  happy  society  of  angels  and 
saints,  we  shall  enjoy  the  unclouded  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance without  interruption  and  without  end.  Amen. 


Psalm  xix.  13. 
Keep  back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins. 


Memorable  is  that  saying  of  the  apostle  Paul, 
"  I  had  not  known  sin  but  by  the  law."  We  can  never 
judge  aright  of  our  temper  and  practice  till  we  prove 
them  by  this  unerring  rule.  Many  objects  appear  to 
have  a  strong  resemblance  while  we  view  them  apart, 
and   at  a  distance  from  each  other:  which,  in  almost 

VOL.  I.  E 


5Q  SER3I0N  III. 

every  feature,  are  found  to  disagree  when  they  are 
brought  together  and  examined  with  accuracy.  Thug 
there  is  a  seeming  conformity  to  the  divine  law,  an  im- 
age of  sanctity,  which  very  often  passeth  for  real  holi- 
ness, and  leads  men  '^  to  think  of  themselves  more  high- 
ly than  they  ought  to  think."  Paul  "  was  alive  without 
the  law  once;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin 
revived,  and  he  died."  So  long  as  he  knew  only  the 
letter  of  the  law,  and  was  a  stranger  to  its  spiritual 
meaning,  and  just  extent,  he  imagined  that  his  prayers, 
his  fastings,  and  his  alms,  accompanied  with  some 
pieces  of  bodily  exercise,  and  an  abstinence  from  the 
grosser  acts  of  sin,  were  sufficient  to  recommend  him  to 
the  frieuflship  of  God,  and  would  certainly  entitle  him 
to  the  joys  of  immortality;  but  "when  the  command- 
ment came"  in  its  native  purity,  and  entered  into  his 
heart  with  light  and  power,  he  soon  discovered  his  mis- 
take, and  was  convinced,  that  his  seeming  virtues  werft 
no  more  in  reality  than  "dead  works;"  his  pharisaical 
righteousness  a  mere  painted  outside,  the  delusive  pic- 
ture or  •' form  of  godliness." 

In  like  manner,  the  author  of  this  psalm,  after  a  de- 
vout contemplation  of  the  divine  law,  (which  he  had 
magnified  in  the  foregoing  verses,  by  a  just  and  anima- 
ted detail  of  its  amiable  properties  and  salutary  effects) 
turning  his  eyes  inward,  is  struck  with  a  sense  of  his 
own  guilt  and  pollution  :  "  Who,"  saith  he,  "can  un- 
derstand his  errors?"  Many  indeed,  too  many,  alas!  I 
can  soon  recollect;  for  every  period  of  my  life  hath  been 
stained  with  sin:  but  besides  all  these,  I  now  perceive, 
that  in  numberless  instances,  unobserved  or  forgotten, 
I  must  have  deviated  from  so  perfect  a  rule.  Upon  this 
he  supplicates  the  mercy  of  God.  and  implores  the  for- 
giveness of  those  "  errors,"  or  infirmities,  which  had 


SERMON  III.  51 

either  escaped  his  notice  or  dropped  out  of  his  remem- 
brance; "Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults;'^  *•  se- 
cret," not  only  with  respect  to  others,  but  to  myself  also  ; 
hid  from  mine  own  eyes  as  well  as  from  the  eyes  of  my 
fellow  men.  And  under  this  awful  impression  of  the 
polluting  nature  even  of  his  unobserved  and  "  secret 
faults,"  he  views  with  horror  tlie  more  aggravated  guilt 
of  known  and  wilful  sins ;  and  prays,  with  redoubled 
earnestness,  in  the  words  of  my  text,  that  it  might  please 
God  to  restrain  or  keep  him  back  from  these :  Keep  back 
thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins. 

What  these  sins  are,  and  how  much  it  concerneth  us 
all  to  avoid  them,  I  shall  endeavour  to  show  in  the  se- 
quel of  this  discourse ;  and,  as  my  text  is  a  prayer,  I 
shall  conclude  with  some  directions  for  the  help  of  those 
who  are  willing  to  make  it  their  own  prayer,  and  wish 
to  offer  it  up  with  acceptance  and  success. 

By  jjvesumptuous  sins,  we  are  to  understand  some^ 
thing  different  from  those  unavoidable  failings,  on  ac- 
count of  which  it  is  said,  that  "  there  is  not  a  just  man 
upon  earth,  who  doeth  good,  and  siuneth  not."  Perfec- 
tion in  holiness  is  not  the  attainment  of  our  present  state; 
the  best  offend  in  many  things;  and  "  if  we  say  we  have 
no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." 
There  are  some  sins  done  through  ignorance ;  and  this 
circumstance,  how  great  soever  the  offence  may  be  in  its 
own  nature,  doth  certainly  render  the  case  of  the  offen 
der  more  pitiable.    We  find  "  the  Apostle  and  High 
Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus,"  pleading  this 
argument  for  mercy  to  his  murderers;  "Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  St.  "  Paul  ob- 
tained mercy,  who  was  before  a  blasphemer,  a  persecu- 
tor, and  injurious,  because  he  did  it  ignorantly."    And 
Hie  Judge  himself  hath  assured  us,  (Luke  xii.  48.)  that 


53  SERMON  III 

"  the  servant  who  knew  not  his  LonVs  will,  and  did 
commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with 
stripes." 

There  are  other  sins  into  which  men  are  hurried  by 
sudden  and  violent  temptation,  which  the  apostle,  writ- 
ing to  the  Galatians,  calls  ''  being  overtaken  in  a  fault," 
Gal.  vi.  1.,  "  outwitted,  as  it  were,  and  taken  by  surprise. 
In  this  case,  he  exhorts  the  brethren  to  restore  such  an 
one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness ;"  and  the  argument  he 
iiseth  is  very  remarkable;  "considering  thyself,  lest 
tiiou  also  be  tempted."  It  farther  deserves  our  notice, 
that  the  persons  to  whom  the  exhortation  is  addressed 
are  supposed  to  be  "  spiritual:"  yet  even  to  these  he  re- 
commends compassion  and  tenderness,  because  the  vio- 
lence of  the  temptation  might,  in  like  circumstances, 
have  overcome  themselves.  "  Men  do  not  despise  a 
thief,"  said  the  wise  king  of  Israel,  "  if  he  steal  to  sa- 
tisfy liis  soul  when  he  is  hungry."  In  estimating  the 
diflercut  degrees  of  guilt,  regard  must  always  be  had 
to  tiie  nature  of  the  temptation;  for,  according  to  the 
strength  of  tiiat,  the  pride  or  perverseness  of  the  sinner 
is  proportionally  diminished  :  especially  if  it  appear  that 
he  did  not  go  forth  to  meet  the  temptation,  but  was  re- 
ally overtaken  by  it,  in  the  proper  sense  of  that  word, 
and  hurried  along  wilh  its  violence,  before  his  mind 
could  have  freedom  or  leisure  to  reflect  and  reason  upon 
the  matter. 

Having  premised  these  distinctions,  we  shall  now  be 
able  to  discover,  witli  greater  ease  and  certainty,  those 
peculiar  ingredients  which  render  sin  presumptuous. 

Knowledge  is  the  first.  This,  as  I  have  already  hint- 
ed, must  lie  at  the  root  of  every  presumptuous  sin.  He 
i»  rather  unfortunate  than  faulty,  who,  by  mistake  or  ac- 
cident, hurteth  one  in  the  dark;  but  he  who  doth  it  in 


SERMON  111.  53 

broad  day,  and  with  his  eyes  open,  betrays  malevolence, 
or  wicked  intention,  which  doth  not  admit  of  any  exte- 
nuation. It  was  this  that  rendered  the  unbelieving  Jews 
altogether  inexcusable,  according  to  that  dechiration  of 
our  Saviour,  (John  xv.  23.)  ^'  If  I  had  not  come  and  spo- 
ken unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin;  but  now  they  have 
no  cloak  for  their  sin."  Knowledge  then  being  supposed 
as  an  essential  ingredient, 

The  sin  becomes  more  presumptuous  when  it  is  the. 
fruit  of  deliberation  and  contrivance ;  when  the  person 
ruminates  and  plots,  and  lays  scliemes  for  executing  his 
criminal  designs.  Such  a  transgressor  is  described,  (Prov. 
vi.  14.)  ^'  F'rowardness  is  in  his  lieart,  he  deviseth  mis^ 
chief  continually  ;*'  and  again,  (Psalm  xxxvi.  4.)  "  He 
deviseth  mischief  upon  his  bed;  he  setteth  himself  in  a 
way  that  is  not  good ;  he  aiihorreth  not  evil." 

The  presumption  is  farther  heiglitened,  when  obsti- 
nacy is  added  to  knowledge  and  deliberation  ;  when  the 
transgressor  ^^  holdeth  fast  his  iniquity,  and  will  not  let 
it  go,"  but  rushcth  forward  in  his  wicked  course,  "  even 
as  the  horse  rusheth  into  battle."  Such  was  the  temper 
which  the  Jews  expressed  in  their  answer  to  Jeremiah, 
(Jerem.  xliv.  16.)  "As  for  the  word  which  thou  hast 
spoken  to  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  will  not  heark- 
en unto  thee,  but  will  certainly  do  whatsoever  thing  go- 
eth  forth  out  of  our  own  mouth."  And  to  this  obstinacy 
the  epithet  of  presumjHuous  is  directly  applied,  (Dent. 
i.  13.)  where  Moses  saith,  "  1  spake  unto  you,  but  ye 
would  not  hear,  but  rebelled  against  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord,  and  went  presumptuously  up  into  the  hill." 

Again,  if  the  warnings  and  reproofs  of  men  be  accom- 
panied with  the  remonstrances  of  conscience,  and  enforc- 
ed by  the  motions  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  these  give  a  yet 
deeper  tincture  to  the  sinner's  presumption,  and  render 


54.  SERMON  III. 

his  obstinacy  still  more  criminal.  With  such  guilt  were 
the  Jewish  rulers  directly  charged  by  the  first  martyr 
Stephen,  (Acts  vii.  51.)  "Ye  stiif-necked,  and  uncir- 
cumcised  in  heart  and  in  ear,  ye  do  always  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye.'' 

But  the  sin  becomes  presumptuous  in  the  highest  de- 
gree, when,  besides  the  remonstrances  of  conscience, 
and  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  God,  by  some  aw- 
ful dispensations  of  his  Providence,  "  hedgeth  up  the 
sinner's  way  as  with  thorns,"  and  yet  he  will  break 
through.  Upon  this  account  a  distinguished  brand  of 
infamy  is  set  upon  Ahaz  in  the  sacred  history ;  of  whom 
it  is  said,  (S  Chron.  xxviii.  23.)  ''  In  the  time  of  his  dis- 
tress did  he  trespass  yet  more  against  the  Lord ;"  to 
which  it  is  subjoined,  with  a  peculiar  emphasis,  "  This 
is  that  king  Ahaz,"  that  obstinate,  that  incorrigible  of- 
fender, who  stands  on  record  as  an  awful  beacon,  for  a 
warning  to  all  succeeding  generations.  These,  I  appre- 
hend, are  the  principal  ingredients  which  rentier  sin  pre- 
sumptuous. 

And  from  this  description  it  will  appear,  that  there 
are  some  sins  which  must  always  be  presumptuous,  and 
do  not  admit  of  any  palliation. 

Profane  swearing  is  evidently  of  this  kind.  It  hath 
no  claim  to  pleasure,  and  as  little  to  profit ;  the  swearer 
seems  to  be  wicked  from  pure  malice,  merely  for  the 
'  sake  of  being  wicked.  In  vain  do  men  plead  provoca- 
tion ;  for  injure  them  who  will,  surely  God  doth  them 
no  injury;  and  if  a  fellow  creature  oflend  them,  that  can 
never  aflbrd  tliem  a  reason  for  affronting  their  Creator, 
who  is  continually  doing  tliem  good.  Besides,  it  is  only 
one  instance  of  profane  swearing  for  which  even  this  al- 
leviation can  be  pleaded  ;  let  this  first  act  be  supposed 
involuntary,  the  effect  of  some  sudden  disorder  in  the 


SERMOIV  III.  09 

mind  ;  wliat  becomes  of  the  next  ?  that  must  necessarily 
be  presumptuous ;  for  the  repetition  of  so  unnatural  a 
sin  may  easily  be  prevented,  if  the  person  hath  a  real 
abhorrence  of  it,  and  useth  any  efforts  to  guard  against 
it.  But,  alas !  how  many  arc  tliere  who  swear  alike, 
whetiier  they  be  angry  or  well  pleased;  who  imprecate 
damnation  upon  themselves  out  of  mere  wantonness,  and 
make  such  horrid  oaths  a  principal  part  of  their  familiar 
conversation.  If  any  who  hear  me  are  guilty  in  this  man- 
ner, let  me  prevail  with  them  to  pause  for  a  little,  till 
they  have  seriously  considered  what  they  are  doing.  It 
cost  the  Redeemer  much  to  purchase  salvation  for  you^ 
not  only  prayers,  but  blood  too  ;  and  dare  you  pray  thai 
your  souls  may  have  no  share  in  it  ?  This  is  the  height 
of  madness  :  Damnation  is  easily  obtained  ;  you  need 
not  pray  for  it ;  if  you  apply  not  the  remedy,  you  per- 
ish of  course  :  but  it  is  not  so  easy  to  be  saved  ;  and 
must  not  these  imprecations,  which  you  have  just  cause 
to  fear  are  recorded  against  you,  increase  the  diflBculty, 
and  remove  you  farther  from  the  road  of  mercy  ?  Think 
of  this,  O  sinners !  before  it  be  too  late,  and  speedily 
forsake  this  presumptuous  sin. 

Perjury  is  still  more  inexcusable,  as  it  cannot  even 
borrow  the  pretext  of  passion  or  surprise,  but  is  a  cool, 
deliberate  act  of  the  most  daring  impiety.  The  person 
who  swears  in  judgment  has  not  only  abundance  of  lei- 
sure to  consider  what  he  is  about  to  say,  but  the  very 
manner  of  administering  an  oath,  in  all  the  courts  I 
know,  has  something  in  it  peculiarly  solemn  and  aw- 
ful, on  purpose,  no  doubt,  to  stir  up  conscience  to  per- 
form its  office,  and  to  oblige  it  to  be  faithful.  Nay,  the 
very  words  of  an  oath  in  judgment,  express  an  immedi- 
ate appeal  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  iu  the  tremendous 
character  of  final  Judge;  and  consequently  imply,  nof 


56  SERMON  m. 

only  tlie  person's  consent  to  accept  damnation  as  the  pu- 
nishment of  his  falsehood,  if  he  shall  conceal  or  deny 
Avhat  he  knows  to  be  the  truth,  but  even  a  formal  and 
solemn  adjuration  of  God  to  inflict  damnation  upon  him; 
'vvhich  is  the  highest  degree  of  presumption  that  can  pos- 
sibly be  imagined.  But  though  perjury  be  a  lie  with  pe- 
culiar aggravations;  yet  there  can  be  no  lies  of  whatever 
kind  which  are  not  presumptuous  in  one  degree  or  other, 
inasmuch  as  they  always  require  some  exercise  of  inven- 
tion to  make  them,  and  usually  a  great  deal  more  to  sup- 
port  their  credit,  and  to  keep  them  in  countenance  after 
they  are  made. 

Theft  must  in  every  case  be  presumptuous :  it  is  a 
work  of  time  which  requires  much  thought  and  cunning 
to  adjust  the  plan  of  operation,  and  no  less  address  and 
conduct  in  carrying  it  into  execution.  Besides,  the  thief 
has  many  restraints  to  break  through,  not  only  the  in- 
ward conviction  of  the  wrong  done  to  his  neighbour,  but 
the  fears  of  a  discovery  likewise,  and  that  disgrace  and 
punishment  with  which  it  will  certainly  be  attended. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  '^  whoremongers  and  adnl- 
tererSf  ichom  God  icill  judge.'-  For  though  such  trans- 
gressors commonly  plead  the  violence  of  temptation; 
yet,  as  I  have  already  observed,  this  by  itself  cannot 
excuse  from  presumption,  unless  the  temptation  be  so 
sudden  and  surprising,  that  it  gives  the  person  no  lei- 
sure to  exercise  his  reason;  which  I  am  persuaded  is 
seldom  or  never  the  case.  These  works  of  darkness  are 
usually  gone  about  with  greater  caution  and  secrecy  than 
are  consistent  with  mere  passion ;  so  that  reason  hath 
been  employed,  though  in  a  wrong  way:  and  this  is  one 
of  th(>se  ingredients  that  render  sin  presumptuous. 

We  may  likewise  say  of  drunkenness,  that  in  most 
cases  it  is  presumptuous.  It  is  aa  excess  which  one  can 


SERMON  III.  gy 

scarcely  be  surprised  into,  unless  the  liquor  be  mixed 
with  some  pernicious  drug,  or  hath  some  peculiar  quali- 
ty with  which  he  is  utterly  unacquainted.  But  this,  I 
suppose,  is  a  case  that  rarely  happens.  It  usually  takes 
some  time  before  a  person  be  intoxicated;  and  drunken- 
ness comes  on  by  such  gradual  advances,  that  one  hath 
sufficient  opportunity  to  observe  its  approach,  and  to 
make  his  escape,  if  he  is  not  otherwise  determined. 

So  that  all  these  sins  are  evidently  presumptuous; 
and  as  they  are  too  commonly  practised  among  us,  I 
tiu)ught  it  my  duty  to  mention  them  in  particular,  for 
the  sake  of  those  who  know  themselves  to  be  guilty,  that 
they  may  not  waste  their  precious  time  in  seeking  after 
excuses  to  defend  them  against  the  heavy  charge  of  pre- 
sumption, but  may,  without  a  moment's  delay,  humble 
themselves  in  the  presence  of  that  God  whom  they  have 
so  grievously  oflPended,  imploring  his  pardoning  mercy 
for  what  is  past,  and  his  powerful  grace  to  restrain  them 
for  the  future. 

The  great  importance  of  his  restraint  to  us  all,  or  bow 
much  it  concerneth  us  to  be  kept  back  from  every  pre- 
sumptuous sin,  was  the  second  thing  I  proposed  to  illus- 
trate. And  this  will  appear  from  two  considerations. 

ist.  That  such  sins  are  most  heinous  in  their  nature; 
and,  2dhj,  most  pernicious  in  their  effects  and  conse- 
quences. 

ist.  They  are  most  heinous  in  their  nature.  The  Ian- 

guage  of  the  proud  sinner  is,  Who  is  Lord  over  me? 

He  either  disowns  the   authority  of  God,  or  bids  him 

defiance,  and  provokes  him  to  jealousy,  as  if  he  were 

stronger  than  he.  Thus  it  is  written.  (Numbers  xv.  3.) 

"  The  soul  that  doeth  ought  presumptuously,  reproach  . 

cth  the  Lord ;"  reproacheth  his  knowledge,  as  if  God 

was  ignorant  of  his  wickedne«s:  or  hisjii^^tice  and  truth, 
VOL.  I.  r 


58  SERMON  III. 

as  if  he  would  not  punish  it ;  or  his  power,  as  if  he 
could  not.  And  what  horrid  impiety  is  this  !  O  sinners, 
think  of  it :  your  known  wilful  sins  cannot  possibly  be 
vindicated  from  this  charge :  all  I  have  now  said,  and  a 
great  deal  more,  shall  be  made  good  against  you  at  last, 
when  God  shall  enter  into  judgment  with  your  souls. 
It  is  vain  for  you  to  plead  that  you  do  not  directly  in- 
tend these  things.  I  verily  believe  you  think  so ;  for, 
proud  and  stubborn  as  you  are,  I  am  confident  that  you 
dare  not  utter  such  blasphemies  before  God,  nor  even 
avow  them  to  your  own  hearts.  But  dotli  it  follow  from 
thence,  that  you  are  not  chargeable  with  them?  The  fal- 
lacy of  this  reasoning  can  easily  be  detected.  Tell  us, 
do  you  intend  your  own  damnation?  I  need  not  wait 
for  an  answer;  I  am  sure  you  do  not.  Pray,  then,  what 
meaning  have  you  at  all?  You  wilfully  transgress  the 
laws  of  God,  but  you  do  not  intend  to  be  punished  for 
it:  on  the  contrary,  you  shudder  at  the  prospect  of  suf- 
fering, and  would  certainly  oppose  it  with  all  your  might. 
This  is  one  side.  On  the  other  hand,  you  say,  that  you 
have  no  direct  intention  to  injure  or  insult  the  majesty 
of  God;  you  mean  no  prejudice  to  his  authority;  nor  to 
any  of  his  perfections,  his  wisdom,  holiness,  justice,  or 
almighty  power.  Can  any  body  reconcile  these  two  op- 
posites?  You  are  unwilling  to  be  miserable;  and  yet 
you  are  willing  that  God  should  possess  those  tremen- 
dous attributes,  by  the  exercise  of  which  you  must  be 
made  miserable.  This  is  a  flat  contradiction.  The  case 
is  plain,  whether  you  perceive  it  or  not;  you  would  cer- 
tainly dethrone  God  if  you  could ;  you  would  reverse  his 
laws,  or  disarm  his  power,  that  you  might  follow  your 
inclinations  without  fear  or  controul :  x\nd  this  is  the 
disposition  of  every  presumptuous  sinner,  though  per- 
haps his  heart  may  be  so  hard  and  unfeeling  as  not  io 


SERMON  in,  59 

perceive  it.  These  remarks  may  suffice  to  show,  of  what 
a  heinous  nature  presumptuous  sins  arc.  I  added,  in  the, 

^d  place,  That  the^'^  are  likewise  most  pernicious  in 
their  effects  and  consequences. 

Every  wilful  sin  hardens  the  heart,  and  renders  it  less 
penetrable  than  it  was  before ;  one  conviction  overcome, 
makes  way  for  the  conquest  of  anotlier,  and  that  of  a 
third,  and  so  on ;  the  sinner  by  degrees  waxeth  stout 
against  God,  till  at  length  every  bond  that  should  re- 
strain him  is  broken  asunder,  and  his  heart  becomes 
"fully  set  in  him  to  do  evil."  This  is  the  natural  effect 
of  presumptuous  sinning:  conscience  being  often  viola- 
ted, grows  calhms  and  insensible,  or,  in  the  language  of 
Scripture,  "seared  as  with  a  hot  iron;"  so  that  it  not 
only  loseth  its  authority,  but  in  great  measure  its  feel- 
ing also,  and  suffers  the  sinner  to  rush  forward  in  his 
wicked  course  without  check  or  remorse. 

But  this  is  not  all :  These  presumptuous  sins  have 
not  only  a  hardening  influence  upon  the  heart,  but  they 
likewise  provoke  God  to  inflict  a  judicial  hardness  upon 
it,  which  of  all  his  judgments  is  by  far  the  most  terrible; 
for  this,  as  it  were,  seals  up  the  sinner  to  final  condemna- 
tion, and  renders  his  recovery  not  only  difficult,  but  ut- 
terly impossible.  "  Ephraim  is  joined  to  his  idols,"  saith 
God;  "let  him  alone:"  he  is  obstinately  bent  upon 
idolatry,  give  him  no  disturbance.  By  this  awful  sen- 
tence God  lays  an  inhibition,  if  I  may  so  speak,  npon 
every  thing  that  might  either  restrain  or  reclaim  the  of- 
fender; he  withdraws  his  despised  grace,  and  suffers 
him  to  wallow  in  that  filthiness  he  hath  chosen,  till  the 
fire  that  is  not  quenched  shall  awaken  him  to  a  fruitless, 
despairing  conviction  of  his  folly. 

But  as  this  judgment  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  "  God's 
strange  work,"  to  which  he  never  proceeds  till  all  r?> 


eO  SERMON  III. 

claiming  methods  have  been  tried  and  baffled ;  let  us 
suppose,  if  you  please,  that  the  sinner  begins  to  awaken 
out  of  liis  lethargy ;  yet  how  dismal  must  the  effects  of 
his  presumptuous  sins  be,  even  in  this  case?  Oli!  what 
Iiorror  will  the  remembrance  of  thorn  raise  in  his  mind? 
How  will  they  discourage  him  in  his  addresses  for  mer- 
cy, to  that  God  whom  he  hath  so  impudently  affronted 
and  defied  to  his  face?  How  will  they  damp  his  expec- 
tation sof  pardon,  when  God  sets  them  all  in  battle  array 
before  him,  and  conscience  takes  hold  of  that  dreadful 
sentence  against  the  presumptuous  transgressor,  (Num- 
bers XV.  31.)  '^Because  he  haih  despised  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  and  hath  broken  his  commandment;  that  soul 
shall  be  utterly  cut  off;  liis  iniquity  shall  be  upon  him?'' 
If  so  good  a  man  as  Heraan  was  obliged  to  cry  out, 
*^  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors  I  am  distracted;"  wliat 
must  be  the  condition  of  the  newly  awakened,  presump- 
tuous sinner? 

Nay,  let  us  suppose,  that  God  hath  spoken  peace  to 
liis  soul,  and  given  him  reason  to  hope  that  his  iniqui- 
ties are  forgiven;  yet  these  sins  of  presumption  always 
leave  behind  them  the  scars  of  those  gashes  wliich  they 
made  upon  the  heart:  and  as  deep  bodily  wounds,  even 
after  they  have  been  closed,  are  apt  to  ache  upon  a 
change  of  weather;  so  any  variation  in  the  person's  lot 
that  is  capable  of  being  construed  into  a  token  of  God's 
anger,  will  recal  to  his  memory  those  pardoned  iniqui- 
ties, and  make  them  a  fresli  occasion  of  grief  and  an- 
guish to  his  doubting,  perplexed  soul. 

Besides,  though  pardon  secures  against  final  condem- 
nation, yet  sins  of  this  kind  are  seldom  remitted  with- 
out some  visible  testimony  of  God's  displeasure.  What 
calamities  befel  the  author  of  this  psalm,  even  after  the 
Prophet  had  intimated  to  him,  that  '^  the  Lord  had  put 


SERMON  III.  61 

away  his  siu?*'  His  daughter  ravished;  the  incestuous 
brother  slain;  Absalom  invndes  both  his  throne  and  his 
bed;  the  bulk  of  liis  subjects  desert  him;  and  he  him 
self,  accompanied  with  a  few  remaining  friends,  is  dri- 
ven into  the  wilderness,  and  hard  put  to  it  to  shift  for 
his  life.  And  though  David  was  chargeable  w  ith  many 
failings,  and  some  of  them  gross  enough,  yet  in  the  cha- 
racter which  the  inspired  historian  hath  given  of  him, 
they  are  all  passed  over  in  silence,  except  his  compli- 
cated guilt  in  the  matter  of  Uriah  ;  but  that  is  expressly 
mentioned,  and  left  as  a  blot  upon  the  name  of  this  great 
and  good  man,  to  deter  others  from  such  deliberate  and 
presumptuous  sins;  for  thus  it  is  written  (1  Kings  xv. 
5.)  **  David  did  tliat  which  was  right  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  and  turned  not  aside  from  any  thing  that  he  com- 
manded liim  all  tlie  days  of  his  life,  save  only  in  the  mat- 
ter of  Uriah  the  Hittite.^^  Nay,  David  M'ilh  his  owu 
hand  hath  recorded  his  guilt  in  the  51st  Psalm,  where 
to  this  day  he  professes  his  shame  and  sorrow,  and  will 
continue  to  do  so  as  long  as  God  shall  have  a  church  up- 
on earth.  When  these  things  are  attended  to,  the  impor- 
tance of  being  kept  back  from  presumptuous  sins  must 
appear  to  us  in  the  strongf'st  and  most  affecting  liglit. 

Let  me  now  address  those  whose  consciences  bear 
witness,  that  they  have  often  transgressed  in  this  man- 
ner, and  are  living  perhaps  at  this  very  time  in  the  ha- 
bitual indulgence  of  some  presumpluous  sin.  Have  you 
seriously  considered  the  danger  you  are  exposed  to? 
David's  case,  which  I  just  now  mentioned,  suggests  to 
me  one  argument  that  may  possibly  liave  weiglit  with 
you.  Some  of  you,  perhaps,  are  sly  offenders;  so  cun- 
ning in  your  way,  tliat  the  world  hath  not  found  you 
out.  But,  say,  would  it  not  give  you  pain  to  think,  that 
one  day  you  should  be  discovered?  Now,  what  assur- 


&3  SERMON  III. 

ance  have  you  that  this  shall  never  happen?  David,  1 
suppose,  conducted  his  criminal  pursuit  with  as  much 
address  and  secrecy  as  you  can  do ;  and  after  it  had  lain 
buried  for  the  space  of  nine  months,  I  am  persuaded  he 
was  as  fearless  of  a  discovery  as  you  presently  are :  yet 
God  detected  him  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  and  not 
only  made  his  sin  visible  in  his  punishment,  hut  even 
obliged  him,  as  you  have  heard,  by  a  solemn  exercise 
of  repentance,  which  is  left  upon  record  for  the  use  of 
the  church,  to  publish  his  confession  of  it  to  all  succeed- 
ing generations.  Have  you  no  apprehension  that  some- 
thing of  a  similar  kind  may  befal  yourselves?  Cannot 
God  disclose  your  secret  sins  if  he  pleaseth?  And  have 
yon  not  cause  to  fear  tliat  he  will  do  it,  from  what  he 
said  to  David  :  "  Thou  didst  it  secretly :  but  I  will  do 
this  thing  before  all  Israel,  and  before  the  sun?''  Will 
God  show  greater  tenderness  to  your  reputation  tlian  to 
that  of  the  man  according  to  his  own  heart?  May  he 
not,  in  his  righteous  displeasure,  permit  that  lust,  which 
you  presumptuously  cherish  in  your  bosom,  to  grow  so 
strong,  that  all  your  cunning  shall  not  be  able  to  keep 
it  within  bounds?  and  then  it  will  fly  abroad,  and  be- 
come public  of  course.  I  beg  you  may  attend  to  this :  I 
confess  it  is  a  motive  of  the  lowest  kind ;  but  low  as  it 
is,  you  ought  at  least  to  take  its  aid,  till  you  get  a  relish 
for  others  of  a  more  ingenuous  and  spiritual  nature. 

Consider,  farther,  what  inward  torment  you  must  one 
day  feel :  at  present,  perhaps,  conscience  is  asleep ;  but 
it  shall  not  always  sleep:  affliction  may  awaken  it;  the 
approach  of  death  most  probably  will;  and  then  "  shall 
your  fear  come  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction  as  a 
whirlwind :  distress  and  anguish  shall  then  come  upon 
you  ;'*  for  in  that  awful  season,  "  the  Lord  shall  give 
thee  a  trembling  lieart,  and  failing  of  eyes,  and  sorrow 


SERMON  III.  63 

of  mind.  And  thy  life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  fear  day  and  night,  and  shalt  have  none 
assurance  of  thy  life.  In  the  morning  thou  shalt  say, 
Would  God  it  were  even ;  and  at  even  thou  shalt  say, 
Would  God  it  were  morning,  for  the  fear  of  thine 
heart  wherewith  thou  shalt  fear,  and  for  the  sight  of 
thine  eyes  which  thou  shalt  see."  Or  if  this  seem  not 
misery  enough,  look  forward  a  little  farther  to  the  tre- 
mendous issue:  "Who  can  dwell  with  devouring 
flames  ?  who  can  lie  down  in  everlasting  burnings?"  Yet 
this,  O  sinners,  must  be  your  portion,  if  you  live  and 
die  in  rebellion  against  God.  The  sweetness  of  sin 
passeth  quickly  away,  but  the  sting  of  it  is  perpetual : 
the  gnawing  worm  shall  never  die,  the  fire  of  God's 
wrath  shall  never  be  extinguished. 

It  is  really  astonishing,  that  creatures  endued  with 
reason,  and  capable  of  exercising  reflection  and  fore- 
sight, should,  in  such  a  situation,  enjoy  any  sort  of  peace 
for  a  moment.  What  is  it  that  supports  you  ?  Do  you 
imagine  that  God  will  overlook  your  rebellion,  and  ne- 
ver call  you  to  an  account  for  your  conduct?  Hear  his 
own  words  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophets :  "  I  will  search 
Jerusalem  with  candles,  and  punish  the  men  that  are 
settled  on  their  lees  ;  that  say  in  their  heart.  The  Lord 
will  not  do  good,  neither  will  he  do  evil."  ZephauiaU 
i.  i2. — And  again,  "  Wo  unto  them  that  draw  iniqui- 
ty with  cords  of  vanity,  and  sin  as  it  were  with  a  cart- 
rope  :  that  say.  Let  him  make  speed,  and  liasten  his 
work,  that  we  may  see  it ;  and  let  the  counsel  of  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  draw  nigh  and  come,  that  we  may 
know  it."  Isaiah  v.  18.  Has  he  not  already,  in  tlie 
course  of  his  providence,  given  sufficient  evidence  of  his 
hatred  of  sin  ;  and  by  many  awful  tokens  of  his  ria,hte- 
ous  displeasure,  extorted  a  confession  from  the  most 


64  SERMON  III. 

obstinate  sinners,  "  that  verily  there  is  a  God  that  judg. 
eth  in  the  earth  ?" — But  you  have  a  proof  of  this  in  your 
own  bosom.  AVhat  means  the  voice  of  conscience  with- 
in you  ?  Whence  that  fear  and  horror  which  sometimes 
seize  upon  you  ?  Surely  these  painful  feelings  are  in- 
voluntary ;  for  no  man  chooseth  to  be  his  own  tormen- 
tor. Well,  then,  this  internal  sense  is  in  place  of  a 
thousand  witnesses,  to  prove,  that  God  is  marking  your 
steps  in  the  mean  time,  and  that  ere  long  he  will  pun- 
ish you  for  all  your  iniquities;  *'  for  according  to  this 
fear,  so  is  the  \yrath  of  God,''  which  is  the  object  of  it. 
Do  you  presume  upon  the  mercy  of  God  ?  Listen  to 
that  awful  declaration  in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy,  (chap, 
xxix.  19,  20.)  "  If  it  come  to  pass,  when  he  heareth  the 
Avords  of  this  curse,  that  he  bless  himself  in  his  heart, 
and  say,  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk  in  the  ima- 
gination of  my  heart ;  the  Lord  will  not  spare  him,  but 
the  anger  of  the  Lord,  and  his  jealousy,  shall  smoke 
against  that  man,  and  all  the  curses  that  are  written  in 
the  book  of  the  law  shall  be  upon  him/*'  True,  God  is 
merciful ;  but  is  it  not  equally  true,  that  he  is  holly  and 
righteous?  Can  you  devise  a  more  lofty  description  of 
the  divine  goodness  than  that  which  was  published  by 
God  himself,  when,  descending  in  a  cloud  upon  mount 
Sinai,  he  passed  by  before  Moses,  and  proclaimed  his 
name,  '^*  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  graci- 
ous, long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and 
transgression  and  sin ;"  (but  observe  wliat  follows) 
*»  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty?"  Exodus 
xxxiv.  6,  7-  Nay,  the  most  amazing  instance  of  divine 
love,  to  wit,  God  sending  his  Son  into  the  world  to  die 
for  sinners,  is,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  awful  proof  of 
his  inflexible  justice,  and  of  his  irreconcilable  hatred  of 


SERMON  III.  es 

sin;  seeing  no  less  a  sacrifice  could  expiate  the  guilt  of 
it  than  the  blood  of  him  hy  whom  all  things  were  made. 
Neither  sliall  this  costly  sacrifice  avail  us,  if  we  still 
continue  to  hold  fast  our  iniquities  ;  for  "  the  Son  of 
God  was  manifested  for  this  very  purpose,  that  lie  may 
destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  And  in  vain  do  we 
plead  the  merit  of  his  death,  unless  we  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  his  life,  and  submit  to  the  government  of  his 
laws  and  Spirit ;  for  "  he  is  the  author  of  eternal  salva- 
tion only  to  them  that  obey  him." 

But,  it  may  be,  you  hope  to  make  all  up  by  repen- 
tance; and  though  at  present  there  are  some  sins  you 
are  unwilling  to  part  with,  yet  you  propose  to  do  it  af- 
terwards, with  a  resolution  never  to  return  any  more  to 
folly.  Well,  sinners,  this  at  least  is  a  plain  confession 
that  you  are  self-condemned  creatures  in  the  mean  time. 
You  admit  that  repentance  is  necessary,  and  that  you  are 
undone  without  it.  And  now  let  me  display  to  you  the 
folly  of  your  conduct.  Should  you  die  this  night,  what 
would  become  of  you?  and  what  assurance  have  you  that 
you  shall  be  alive  to-morrow?  Were  not  Zimri  and  Cos- 
bi  cut  off  in  the  act  of  sin?  And  have  not  many  others 
been  carried  off  by  a  sudden  death,  without  leisure  af- 
forded them  to  cry  for  mercy?  Your  sin,  and  consequent- 
ly your  misery,  is  present  and  certain :  your  repentance 
only  future,  and  therefore  altogether  uncertain ;  for  who 
knoweth  what  a  day  may  bring  forth?  Besides,  is  it  not 
egregious  folly  to  do  that  deliberately  which  needeth  re- 
pentance? Would  he  not  justly  be  accounted  mad,  who 
should  drink  a  deadly  poison,  merely  to  try  the  strength 
of  an  antidote?  Though  you  could  repent  at  pleasure, 
and  had  a  lease  of  life  to  any  term  of  your  own  choos- 
ing, which  you  well  know  you  have  not;  yet,  even  upon 
this  supposition,  your  conduct  would  be  foolish  and  jr- 

VOL.  K  G 


e5  SERMON  III. 

rational.  But  I  have  something  to  add  that  is  still  more 
alarming.  Repentance  is  the  gift  of  (iod;  it  is  a  grace 
that  can  onlybe  produced  in  your  hearts  by  that  divine 
Spiiit,  whom  now  you  grieve.  And  is  grieving  him  the 
way  to  obtain  his  assistance?  Must  God  wait  your  time, 
and  patiently  endure  all  your  affronts,  and  then  bestow 
upon  you  a  pure  favour,  to  w  hich  you  can  plead  no  title, 
whenever  you  shall  deign  to  asii  it?  No,  sinners.  There 
are  such  awful  words  in  your  Bibles  as  these :  "  My 
Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man;"  and,  "Be- 
cause when  1  called,  ye  refused;  when  I  stretched  out 
my  hand,  ye  did  not  regard  me ;  therefore  will  I  laugh 
at  your  calamity,  and  mock  when  your  fear  cometh." 
Go,  think  upon  these,  and  get  you  to  your  knees,  and 
beg  of  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  that  he  may  pardon  what 
is  past,  and  restrain  you  from  such  presumptuous  sins 
for  the  future.  This  brings  me  to  the 

Last  thing  I  proposed ;  which  was,  to  direct  you  how 
to  put  up  tliis  prayer  to  God,  Keep  hack  thy  servant 
from  presumptuous  sins. 

In  the  ist  place.  You  must  do  it  sincerely,  with  an 
unfeigned  and  earnest  desire,  that  God  may  hear  and 
grant  your  request,  We  are  very  apt  to  impose  upon 
ourselves  in  this  matter.  Conscience  being  galled  and 
irritated  by  presumptuous  sins,  may  grow  so  turbulent 
and  clamorous,  that  something  must  be  done  to  still  and 
pacify  it.  By  this  means,  we  may  be  forced  into  the  clo- 
set, and  obliged  to  use  the  words  of  my  text,  nay,  to  ap- 
ply them  to  those  particular  sins  for  which  conscience 
upbraideth  us.  But,  alas !  our  prayers  are  oft  times  false 
and  hypocritical;  we  hate  not  the  sin,  but  the  remorse 
that  follows  it;  and  we  wish  not  so  much  to  be  delivered 
from  the  sin,  as  from  tlie  fierce  challenges  of  the  awful 
reprover  within  us.  Have  you  not  discovered  something 


SERMON  HI.  67 

of  this  hypocrisy  in  the  time  of  praying?  Have  you  not 
felt  a  secret  love  to  the  sin  you  professed  to  renounce; 
nay,  some  degree  of  fear  lest  God  should  take  you  at 
your  word,  and  render  that  sin  hitter  and  unplt-asant  to 
you?  Need  I  tell  you,  that  such  prayers  are  an  abomi- 
nation to  the  Lord,  and  instead  of  diminishing,  aggra- 
vate your  guilt?  To  pray,  is  nut  to  offer  up  words,  hut 
de.sires,  to  God :  I  therefore  said,  that  in  using  this  pe- 
tition, you  must  do  it  with  a  sincere  and  earnest  desire, 
that  God  may  hear  and  grant  your  reqiipst.  It  was  for 
this  purpose  I  set  before  you  the  heinous  nature  and  fa- 
tal effects  of  presumptuous  sins,  that  you  might  view 
them  as  deadly  foes,  and  long  to  be  rescued  from  their 
tyranny ;  for  till  your  hearts  are  brought  to  this,  in  vain 
do  you  utter  the  words  of  David ;  your  prayers  are  hol- 
low and  insincere  whatever  dress  you  put  them  into; 
and  are  themselves  more  presumptuous  than  any  of  those 
sins  against  which  you  pretend  to  use  them. 

^dly.  We  must  put  up  this  request,  from  a  humble 
sense  of  our  own  weakness,  with  a  lively  hope  of  the 
mercy  of  God,  and  a  steadfast  reliance  upon  the  efficacy 
of  his  grace.  These  qualifications  are  absolutely  neces- 
sary :  for  till  we  feel  our  inability  to  overcome  our  im- 
petuous and  headstrong  passions,  we  shall  not  be  very 
importunate  with  God  to  restrain  them ;  and  we  shall 
soon  grow  weary  in  our  addresses  to  him  for  aid,  if  we 
either  call  in  question  his  good  will  to  bestow  it,  or 
doubt  of  its  sufficiency  to  answer  our  necessities.  We 
must  neither  pray  proudly  nor  despairingly;  we  affront 
God  equally  both  ways.  If  we  go  to  him  merely  in  a 
complimental  way,  as  if  we  did  him  honour  by  asking 
some  slender  assistance  only  to  render  the  conquest 
more  easy ;  this  may  provoke  him  to  leave  us  in  the 
bands  of  our  enemies,  till,  by  some  fatal  overthrow,  we 


G8  SERMON  III. 

are  brought  to  a-.tliorough  conviction  of  our  impotence ; 
for  "  iic  resisteth  the  prouil,  and  giveth  grace  only  to 
the  humble;  the  hungry  are  filled  with  good  things,  but 
the  rich  are  sent  empty  away." 

On  the  other  hand,  should  we  either  question  his 
williugness  or  ability  to  help  us,  would  not  this  be  to  cast 
upon  him  vile  dishonour,  after  all  the  illustrious  proofs 
he  hath  given  us,  both  of  his  love  and  saving  power? 
**  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all ;  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us 
all  things?'' 

Let  us  therefore,  under  a  deep  sense  of  our  depravity 
and  weakness,  humbly  and  importunately  cry  to  God, 
that  he  may  deliver  us  from  the  oppression  of  our  tyran- 
nical lusts;  and  these  cries  of  the  oppressed  shall  '^  en- 
ter into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Saboath."  At  the  sam(i 
time,  let  us  harbour  no  dishonourable  suspicions  either 
of  his  mercy  or  of  his  power :  ''  We  have  a  great  High- 
Priest,  who  has  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son 
of  God,  who  now  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 
Having  therefore  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way,  w  hich  he 
hath  consecrated  for  us  througli  the  vail,  that  is  to  say, 
his  flesh ;  and  having  a  High-Priest  who  is  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  was  in  all  points  tempt- 
ed like  as  we  are ;  let  us  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need." 

If  we  thus  ask,  we  shall  certainly  receive :  The  great 
Captain  of  our  salvation,  whose  grace  is  sufficient  for  all 
his  people,  will  not  only  keep  us  back  from  presumptu- 
ous sins,  but  in  due  time  he  will  bruise  Satan  underneath 
ouv  feet,  and  ^' grant  unto  us  to  sit  witli  hini  on  his  thrpue, 


SERMON  III.  (59 

even  as  lie  also  overcame,  and  is  set  down  with  his  Fa- 
ther in  his  throne."' — Let  me  only  add,  in  tlie 

Third  and  last  place,  That  our  prayers  to  God  for 
restraining  grace,  must  be  accompanied  willi  our  own 
most  vigorous  efforts  to  resist  all  temptations  to  presump- 
tuous sins,  otherwise  they  shall  not  be  accepted. 

God  will  so  do  his  work,  as  that  we  sliall  do  ours  like- 
wise; for  '''  God's  working  in  us  to  will  and  do,"  instead 
of  superseding  the  necessity  of  our  own  endeavours,  is 
urged  in  Scripture  as  a  motive  and  encouragement  to 
make  us  "  work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling.''  Prayer  is  not  only  an  acknowledgment  of 
our  dependence  upon  God  for  the  things  we  ask,  but  it 
likewise  imports  a  resolution  on  our  part  to  use  all  pro- 
per means  for  obtaining  tliem ;  and  the  vigour  of  our  en- 
deavours is  the  best  proof  of  our  sincerity.  Should  a  per- 
son who  is  just  now  praying,  '•  Lead  me  not  into  tempt- 
ation," rise  immediately  from  iiis  knees,  and  go  forth  to 
invite  or  even  to  meet  a  temptation,  who  could  believe 
that  such  a  man  was  in  earnest?  Let  us  be  doing,  and 
then  we  may,  with  greater  confidence,  both  ask  the  di- 
vine aid,  and  hope  to  obtain  it.  If,  in  a  humble  depen- 
dence upon  God,  we  faithfully  employ  the  strength  we 
have,  more  shall  be  added  to  us  as  our  necessities  re- 
quire: "  For  to  him  that  hath  shall  be  given.  They  that 
wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength,  they 
shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  run 
and  not  be  weary,  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint.  Wait 
therefore  on  the  Lord :  be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall 
strengthen  thine  heart:  wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord."  Amen. 


70 

2  Timothy  iii.  5. 

Having  a  form  of  Godliness,  hut  denying  the  power 

thereof. 


•^  1  HE  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination  to 
the  Lord ;  but  the  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.'^ 
It  is  the  heart  of  the  worshipper  which  God  principally 
regards;  if  that  be  wrong,  external  homage  is  only  "vain 
oblation/'  which  can  never  ascend  to  his  throne  with  ac- 
ceptance. Happy  were  it  for  us,  had  we  a  just  impres- 
sion of  this  interesting  truth;  but  many,  alas!  are  too 
apt  to  impose  upon  themselves.  Instead  of  aspiring  to 
that  inward  purity  which  is  necessary  to  qualify  them 
for  communion  with  God,  they  seem  to  have  no  higher 
aim,  than  to  lull  conscience  asleep  by  the  practice  of 
some  cheap  and  common  duties,  lest  its  galling  reproofs 
should  alarm  their  fears,  and  anticipate  the  horrors  of 
approaching  judgment.  Thus  they  dream  of  safety, 
■when  destruction  is  fast  coming  upon  them  ;  and,  with 
"  untempered  mortar,"  rear  up  for  themselves  "  a  re- 
fuge of  lies,"  which,  ere  long,  shall  be  tumbled  down, 
and  bury  them  in  its  ruins. — For  awakening  such  per- 
sons from  their  fatal  security,  T  have  chosen  this  passage 
of  Holy  Scripture,  wherein  the  apostle  gives  us  a  part 
of  the  character  of  deceiving  hypocrites,  or  rather,  in- 
deed, a  comprehensive  description  of  them  in  a  few 
words:  They  have  a  form  of  godliness^  but  deny  the 
foivev  thereof  Their  religion  is  a  mere  carcass,  a  body 


SERMON  IV.  71 

without  the  soul,  a  lifeless  picture  or  image  of  godli- 
ness  :  they  assume  the  garb  and  air  of  sanctity,  but  arc 
strangers,  nay  enemies,  to  the  thing  itself.  That  the  fol- 
lowing discourse  may  be  "  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  re- 
proof, for  correction,  and  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness," I  shall,  in  the 

First  place,  Endeavour  to  open  the  nature  of  true 
godliness,  and  to  show  wherein  the  life  aud  power  of  it 
consist. 

Secondly,  I  shall  inquire,  whence  it  is,  that  any  who 
deny  the  power  of  godliness  should  submit  to  the  drudge- 
ry of  practising  \\\^  forms  of  it?  and  tiien  point  out  the 
improvement  which  both  saints  and  sinners  ought  to 
make  of  this  subject. 

Godliness,  in  general,  is  the  subjection  or  devoted- 
ness  of  the  soul  to  Grod  himself.  It  is  the  practical  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  unlimited  sovereignty,  and  the  un- 
reserved dedication  of  the  whole  man  to  his  service  ;  or.  - 
to  speak  in  the  emphalical  language  of  this  Apostle,  it 
is  "  Christ  formed"  in  the  heart  by  the  powerful  energy 
of  the  Holy  Spirit :  in  consequence  whereof,  the  per- 
son becomes  ^*  a  new  creature,"  both  with  regard  to  his 
temper  and  practice ;  "  he  partakes  of  the  divine  na- 
ture; and  "  those  members"  which  were  formerly  the 
*'  servants  of  sin,"  are  now  employed  as  "  instruments 
of  righteousuess  unto  God." 

It  is  not  a  cold  assent  to  the  truths  of  religion  ;  it  is  not 
a  natural  softness  and  benevolence  of  temper;  it  is  not 
the  abstaining  from  gross  sins,  or  the  giving  to  God  a 
corner  of  our  hearts,  and  some  vacant  portions  of  our 
time,  while  the  bulk  of  both  is  alienated  from  him,  that 
will  intitle  us  to  the  character  of  godly  men.  As  he  only 
is  God,  who  is  universal  Lord,  supreme  in  wisdom,  in 
power,  and  in  goodness;  so  that  only  is  godliness  which 


73  SERMON  IV. 

reveres  and  honours  God,  in  a  way  suited  to  that  high 
and  incommunicable  character.  Genuine  piety  express- 
eth  itself  thus;  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  O 
Lord  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides 
thee."  We  are  not  godly,  vvliatever  we  profess  or  seem, 
if  in  our  most  deliberate  and  aftectionate  choice,  we  do 
not  prefer  the  one  true  God,  and  the  enjoyment  of  his  fa- 
vour, to  all  that  can  be  found  throughout  the  wide  ex- 
tent of  his  works ;  if  we  make  not  his  will  the  measure 
of  ours,  his  law  the  sovereign  guide  of  our  conduct,  and 
his  glory  the  ultimate  end  of  our  obedience.  But  more 
particularly,  in  the 

First  place,  Godliness  includes  a  supreme  love  to 
God  himself,  and  a  constant  prevailing  desire  to  please 
him,  mixed  with  a  holy  reverential  awe,  or  fear  of  of- 
fending him.  I  have  joined  these  together,  because  they 
appear  to  be  of  equal  necessity  and  use,  to  constitute 
that  frame  and  temper  of  mind  wherein  the  essence  of 
piety  or  true  godliness  dotli  consist.  Fear  is  necessary 
to. keep  God  in  oiir  eye:  it  is  the  office  of  love  to  en- 
throne him  in  our  heart.  Fear  cautiously  avoids  whate- 
ver may  offend :  love  yields  a  prompt  and  liberal  ser- 
vice. Fear  regards  God  as  a  witness  and  judge;  love 
cleaves  to  him  as  a  friend,  nay  a  father.  Fear  maketli 
us  watchful  and  circumspect :  love  renders  us  active  and 
resolute.  In  sliort,  they  go  hand  in  hand,  and  mutually 
assist  each  other :  Love  keeps  fear  from  being  servile 
and  distrustful ;  and  fear  keeps  love  from  being  forward 
and  secure:  and  both  spring  from  one  root,  namely, 
Faith  in  God,  as  a  being  possessed  of  infinite  perfection, 
and  related  to  us  as  our  Creator  and  Governor,  our  Re- 
deemer and  our  Judge. 

This  (listinguisheth  true  godliness  from  every  coun- 
terfeit, or  false  appearance  of  it.  The  seeming  righte- 


SERMON  IV.  73 

ousness  of  the  formalist,  is  either  assumed  to  impose 
upon  the  world,  without  any  regard  to  God  at  all,  or 
else  it  flows  entirely  from  a  tormenting  fear  of  future 
wrath :  in  his  heart  there  is  an  aversion  from  God  and 
his  service,  at  the  very  time  he  is  professing  to  honour 
him  with  his  hody;  reluctant  and  hesitating  at  eveiy 
step,  he  proceeds  no  farther  in  the  road  of  duty  than  he 
thinks  may  suffice  to  escape  damnation :  he  doth  more 
than  he  would  do,  were  he  not  forced  by  necessity;  and 
if  left  to  his  own  choice,  he  would  rather  live  at  large 
like  the  beasts  that  perish,  and  render  no  homage  to 
God  at  all. 

Secondly.  The  power  of  godliness  consists  in  the  con- . 
quest  of  our  corrupt  and  rebellious  passions.  These  in- 
deed still  live  and  fight  within  us,  and  will  continue  to 
do  so  in  one  degree  or  other,  till  death  pull  down  these 
earthly  tabernacles:  but  if  we  are  truly  sanctified,  their 
strength  shall  gradually  languish  and  decay  :  victory  is 
sown  in  tliat  new  nature  we  have  got;  for  "  whatsoever 
is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world :"  Jesus  our  Lord 
shall  ere  "  long  deliver  us  from  the  body  of  this  death, 
and  tiie  God  of  peace  shall  in  due  time  bruise  Satan  un- 
derneath our  feet." — Whereas  the  formalist  is  altoge- 
ther  carnal ;  corruption  prevails  against  reason  and  con- 
science; the  flesh  gives  law:  and  every  faculty  of  the 
mind,  every  member  of  the  body,  is  a  willing  slave  to 
its  usurped  authority.  Perhaps  he  has  cunning  enough 
*'  to  wash  tlie  outside ;"  to  refrain  from  those  sins  whicli 
would  stain  his  reputation,  and  render  him  contempti- 
ble in  the  opinion  of  the  world :  But  all  the  while  he 
feels  no  hatred  of  sin  in  his  heart ;  his  conformity  to 
tile  law  doth  not  flow  from  an  inw  ard  principle  of  holi- 
ness, but  is  purely  an  artificial  thing,  calculated  to  please 

VOL.   I.  n 


74  SERMON  IV. 

others ;  and  he  cares  for  no  more  of  it  than  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  attaining  that  end. 

Thirdly.  The  power  of  godliness  ennobles  the  soul 
/-  with  a  holy  indifference  to  all  earthly  things.  The  godly 
man  is  one  whose  treasure  is  in  heaven.  He  hath  seen 
through  the  deceit  and  vanity  of  this  world,  and  there- 
fore esteems  it  but  dross  and  dung  in  comparison  of  God 
and  things  eternal :  he  is  hastening  to  the  promised  land 
of  rest,  and  will  not  eagerly  contend  for  an  inheritance 
in  this  wilderness,  nor  be  greatly  dejected  when  it  is  ei- 
ther withheld  or  taken  from  him.  Faith  hath  so  far  an- 
nihilated this  world,  that  it  is  become  as  nothing  in  his 
eye,  and  hath  no  bribe  to  offer  that  is  sufficient  to  seduce 
liira  from  the  service  of  liis  God,  or  the  care  of  his  pre- 
cious and  immortal  soul.  This  holy  indifference  to  earth- 
ly things,  this  divine  elevation  of  sentiment  and  affec- 
tion, is  an  eminent  part  of  the  godly  man's  character, 
and  one  of  the  most  striking  effects  of  the  power  of  re- 
ligion in  his  heart.  The  formalist  may,  no  doubt,  put 
on  the  appearance  of  this;  he,  too,  may  talk  of  bis  con- 
tempt of  the  world ;  but  when  a  trying  time  comes,  his 
hypocrisy  and  earthly- mindedness  will  soon  discover 
themselves :  '^  Demas  hath  forsaken  me  (said  Paul)  hav- 
ing loved  this  present  world.-'  Affliction,  and  especially 
persecution  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  makes  a  wide  and 
visible  distinction  betwixt  the  truth  of  grace  and  all  the 
counterfeits  of  it.  This  is  a  test  which  the  formalist  can- 
not stand  :  the  predominant  interest  must  then  appear, 
and  can  no  longer  be  concealed.  In  that  day,  all  mere 
speculations  about  religion  vanish  ;  nor  can  any  thing 
support  the  sufferer  but  what  he  firmly  believes  and  feels 
in  liis  heart.  The  unsound  professor  may  look  big  for 
awhile,  and  part  with  many  lesser  things ;  but  when 
matters  are  brought  to  this  crisis,  ^^  Sell  all  that  thou 


SERMON  IV.  y5 

hast,  and  take  up  the  cross ;''  renounce  every  present 
sensible  enjoyment  for  the  sake  of  distant  invisible  bles- 
sings ;  then  he  must  throw  aside  the  mask,  and  confess 
that  the  world  is  supreme  in  his  heart,  and  that  heaven 
"Was  never  valued  by  him  but  as  a  secondary  good,  which 
he  wished  to  have  in  reversion,  when  he  could  keep  his 
hold  of  this  earth  no  longer. 

Fourthly.  The  soul  that  is  under  the  power  of  godli- 
ness hath  a  vehement  thirst  after  the  enjoyment  of  God 
himself.  It  is  God  in  Christ  whom  the  godly  man  seek- 
eth  in  the  ordinances  of  religi(m ;  either  to  know  more 
of  his  will,  or  to  have  ucarer  communion  with  him,  or  to 
receive  from  him  fresh  supplies  of  grace,  for  cleansing 
and  quickening,  and  comforting  his  soul.  These  are  to 
him  like  the  tree  unto  which  Zaccheus  climbed  up  that 
he  might  see  Jesus :  and  he  useth  them  only  for  that  end„ 
Doth  he  go  to  the  sanctuary  ?  it  is,  "  that  he  may  behold 
the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  inquire  in  his  temple.*'  Doth 
he  approach  the  altar  ?  it  is,  that  he  may  meet  with 
"  God  his  exceeding  joy.-'  As  the  ^'  hart  panteth  for 
the  brooks  of  water,  so  pants  his  thirsty,  longing  soul 
for  God,  even  the  living  God  ;"  and  he  always  prefers 
"  the  light  of  his  countenance"  to  the  greatest  increase 
"  of  corn  and  of  wine,"  or  whatever  else  this  earth  can 
afford.  Now  the  formalist  is  an  utter  stranger  to  these 
exercises  of  the  heart :  he  feels  no  anxiety  after  commu- 
nion with  God  :  he  prays,  but  never  troubles  himself 
with  inquiring  if  his  prayer  is  accepted  :  he  goes  to 
church,  not  that  he  may  wait  upon  God,  or  receive  spir- 
itual nourishment  from  the  word  preached ;  but  merely 
to  gratify  his  curiosity,  and  to  get  some  addition  to  his 
stock  of  notional  religion  ;  he  grows  weary  of  the  neces-r 
sary  bread  of  life  :  he  loathes  that  dry  manna,  and  reck- 
ons every  Sabbath  and  sermon  lost  in  which  he  is  not 


^<$  SERMON  IV. 

amuswl  with  variety  and  change.  In  short,  he  looks  up 
oji  the  duties  of  religious  worship  merely  as  a  task  im- 
posed on  him  by  an  arbitrary  master,  who  is  too  strong 
for  liini  to  contend  with;  and  therefore  he  performs  them 
for  his  own  safety,  and  is  always  glad  when  they  are 
over,  and  thinks  that  Grod  hath  nothing  more  to  require 
at  his  hand. 

Once  more,  in  the  fifth  place.  The  power  of  godli- 
ness is  manifested  by  a  steadfast  course  of  holy  living, 
by  an  uniform  and  unreserved  obedience  to  all  God's 
commandments.  I  observed,  in  the  entrance,  that  godli- 
ness is  the  subjection  or  devotedness  of  the  soul  to  God 
himself:  and  in  vain  do  we  pretend  to  this,  if  we  object 
against  any  of  his  laws;  for  the  Apostle  James  hath  as- 
sured us,  that  '' whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law, 
and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all."  *•  It  is 
not  the  calling  Christ  Lord,  Lord,  but  the  doing  the 
things  whicii  he  says,'^  that  proveth  us  to  be  Christians 
indeed  :  '^^  Yea,  in  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest, 
and  the  children  of  the  devil.  He  that  doeth  not  righte- 
ousness is  not  of  God.''  The  formalist,  as  I  have  already 
admitted,  may  go  a  considerable  length  in  an  outward 
reformation  of  manners;  he  may  abstain  from  pollutions 
of  the  grosser  kind,  and  even  do  many  tilings  that  are 
materially  good  :  but  still  he  hath  his  exceptions :  some 
sins  are  so  dear  to  him,  that  he  will  by  no  means  con- 
sent to  part  with  them ;  and  some  duties  are  so  displeas- 
ing to  the  Hesh,  that  he  cannot  be  reconciled  to  them  at 
any  rate:  he  therefore  endeavours,  either  to  suit  his  opi- 
nion to  his  inclination,  by  persuading  himself  that  they 
are  no  duties;  or,  if  tlie  evidence  of  their  authority  is 
too  strong  to  be  evaded,  he  may  attempt  to  do  something 
like  them  in  a  cold  and  superficial  manner;  but  the 
things  themselves  he  will  not  do.    Whereas  the  godly 


SERMON  IV.  77 

man  "esteems  all  God's  commamlraenis  concerning  all 
things  to  be  right,  and  hates,  with  a  perfect  hatred,  ev- 
ery false  and  wicked  way."  This  is  the  habitual  lan- 
guage of  his  soul:  "  O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to 
keep  thy  statutes !  Show  me  thy  way,  O  Lord,  teach 
me  thy  path,  lead  me  in  thy  truth,  and  teach  me;  for 
thou  art  the  God  of  my  salvation ;  on  thee  do  I  wait  all 
the  day.  AYhat  I  know  not,  teacli  thou  me:  If  I  have 
done  iniquity,  I  will  do  so  no  more.  Let  tjje  words  of  my 
mouth,  aud  the  meditations  of  my  heart,  be  acceptable 
in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  my  strength  and  my  Redeemer." 
"^  His  delight  is  in  the  law  of  his  God;"  aud  instead  of 
complaining,  that  the  duties  required  of  him  are  many 
or  burthensome,  he  rather  rejoices,  that  he  is  furnished 
with  such  a  variety  of  means  and  occasions  of  testifying 
his  gratitude  to  that  amiable  sovereign,  to  whom  he  hath 
devoted  himself,  and  Ids  all.  Love  makes  tlie  Redeem- 
er's yoke  to  feel  easy,  and  his  burden  light;  and  nothing 
grieves  him  so  much,  as  that  he  cannot  do  all  that  he 
would,  in  acknowledgment  of  those  manifold,  inestima- 
ble favours  he  hath  already  received,  or  hopes  to  enjoy. 

Such  is  ihe,  godhj  man;  and  after  this  manner  doth 
godliness  exert  its  paicer,  "  casting  down  imaginations, 
and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  every  thought,"  word, 
and  action,  into  full  ^*  captivity  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ." 

Here,  then,  let  me  entreat  you,  in  the  serious  review 
of  what  hath  been  delivered  upon  this  branch  of  the  sub^ 
ject,  to  make  a  fair  and  impartial  trial  of  yourselves. 
God,  who  knoweth  all  things,  is  already  acquainted 
with  you :  each  of  you  must  very  soon  be  acquainted 
with  himself,  and  all  the  world  shall  know  you  too : 
death  is  at  liand  to  open  your  own  eyes,  and  the  last 


78  SERMON  IV. 

judgment  shall  publish  your  real  character,  and  expose 
it  to  the  view  of  angels  and  men;  so  that,  upon  all 
accounts,  it  is  necessary  that  you  be  early  and  tho- 
roughly assured  of  your  condition.  If,  when  weighed 
in  the  balance,  you  are  found  wanting,  you  shall  have 
this  advantage  by  the  discovery,  that  it  will  rouse  you 
from  that  lethargy,  out  of  which  the  unquenchable  fire 
would  at  length  awaken  you  ;  and  powerfully  incite  you 
to  do  something  for  your  safety  ere  it  be  too  late ; 
"  God's  arm  is  not  shortened  that  it  cannot  save,  nei- 
ther is  his  ear  heavy  that  it  cannot  hear/'  The  Lord 
Jesus  is  still  as  **  mighty  as  ever,  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  unto  God  by  him  ;"  and  there  is  no- 
thing that  puts  you  so  far  out  of  the  road  of  his  mercy 
as  self-deceit  and  presumption  do.  Let  your  case  be 
ever  so  bad  ;  yet  if  you  are  sensible  of  it,  and  apply 
to  him  for  relief,  you  shall  find  him,  at  all  times,  ready 
with  open  arms  to  receive  you ;  nay,  he  invites  you  to 
come  to  him  in  the  mildest  terms  of  condescension  and 
grace  ;  '•^  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  hea- 
vy laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  So  that  the  most 
compassionate  and  friendly  office  that  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  can  perform,  is  to  call  upon  sinners  loudly  and 
repeatedly,  "  to  examine  and  prove  their  ownselves," 
that,  from  an  alarming  sense  of  danger,  they  may  be 
compelled,  by  a  happy  necessity,  to  flee  for  refuge  to 
that  almighty  Saviour  who  alone  can  deliver  them  from 
the  wrath  to  come.  This  indeed  is  the  principal  aim  of 
my  discourse;  I  have  furnished  you  with  several  cha- 
racters of  true  godliness,  by  the  help  of  which  you  may 
discover  whether  you  are  possessed  of  it  or  not.  These 
I  now  leave  with  you,  that  every  man's  conscience  may 
apply  them  to  himself  in  particular,  and  pronounce  seii^ 


SERMON  lY.  79 

tcnce  according  to  the  evidence  it  may  find ;  and  sliall 
proceed  to  inquire,  very  briefly,  iu  tiie 

Second  place,  Wlieuce  it  is  that  any  who  admit  the 
power  of  godliness,  should  submit  to  the  drudgery  of 
maintaining  the  form  of  it? 

With  respect  to  many,  it  may  be  said,  that  they  ap- 
pear in  the  form  of  godliness  by  mere  accident ;  because 
it  happens  to  be  in  repute  among  those  with  whom  they 
converse.  They  go  to  church  purely  because  others  do 
it ;  they  observe  an  outward  decorum  of  manners  to  avoid 
singularity;  and  walk  the  customary  round  of  duties 
from  a  natural  timidity,  or  perhaps  civility  of  temper- 
which  will  not  suffer  them  to  do  any  thing  that  may  be 
shocking  or  offensive  to  their  friends  or  neighbours.  Of 
this  sort  numbers  are  to  be  found  in  every  Christian  so- 
ciety; they  want  boldness,  or  perhaps  invention,  to  be- 
come originals,  by  striking  out  a  new  path  for  them- 
selves; and  therefore  they  go  along  with  the  multitude, 
comply  with  the  prevailing  custom,  and  have  no  other 
rule  of  life  but  this  short  convenient  one,  to  be  always  in 
fashion,  and  to  do  what  others  are  doing  around  them. 

Ambition  may  be  considered  as  another  source  of  for- 
mality. Men  have  sagacity  enough  to  discover  that  re- 
putation is  power;  and  that  the  more  a  person  is  esteem- 
ed, the  greater  authority  and  influence  he  will  have : 
and  therefore,  when  religion  is  in  credit,  the  greatest  en- 
emies to  the  power  of  godliness  often  betake  themselves 
to  its  outward  form  ;  which  they  employ  as  a  ladder  to 
help  them  to  climb  in  to  a  higher  place,  where,  witjj 
greater  ease,  they  may  possess  the  means  of  gratifying 
their  pride  and  lust  of  domination. 

It  sometimes  happens,  too,  that  covetousness,  or  the 
love  of  money,  hath  no  inconsiderable  hand  in  making 
men  assume  the  form  of  godliness.   This  was  the  just 


so  SERMON  IV. 

reproach  of  the  Pharisees,  those  noted  formalists  in  the 
Jewish  church ;  they  fasted  often,  they  prayed  long,  they 
abounded  in  washings,  and  in  many  bodily  austerities ; 
but  our  Saviour  hath  assured  us  that  they  did  all  '*  to 
be  seen  of  men."  They  were  mere  pretenders  to  devo- 
tion; they  lived  by  that  craft,  and  used  the  forms  of  re- 
ligion merely  as  an  engine  for  drawing  the  estates  of 
widows  and  orphans  into  their  own  hands,  that,  under 
the  trust  of  managing  them  for  their  behoof,  they  might 
the  more  securely  and  successfully  enrich  themselves  at 
their  cost. 

The  two  last  are  designing  formalists,  who  know,  or 
at  least  wlio  may  know,  (hat  they  are  hypocrites:  stran- 
gers, nay,  enemies  to  the  power  of  that  godliness  which 
they  outwardly  profess  to  esteem  and  honour. 

But  there  are  others  who  practise  the  forms  of  religion 
to  quiet  and  pacify  a  natural  conscience ;  and  do  so  many 
things,  that,  in  appearance  at  least,  they  are  not  far  from 
the  kingdom  of  God;  but  still  they  resist  the  Spirit  of 
grace,  and  will  not  submit  to  the  power  of  godliness* 
lieason  teacheth  them,  that  as  their  being  is  derived 
from  God,  so  their  well-being  must  wholly  depend  upon 
his  favour;  and  revelation  proclaims,  in  the  strongest 
terms,  that  icithout  holiness  no  man  shall  see  God.  Hence 
they  see,  that  a  grossly  wicked  and  profligate  course  of 
life  would  at  once  cut  them  oil*  from  all  hope  of  happi- 
ness ;  and  as  they  cannot  bear  the  thoughts  of  being 
eternally  miserable,  therefore  something  must  be  done 
in  the  mean  time  to  keep  the  garrison  in  peace.  Were 
they  presently  to  conclude  themselves  in  a  state  of  con- 
demnation, their  sensual  enjoyments  would  immediately 
lose  their  relish,  and  the  prospect  of  future  approaching 
vengeance  would  embitter  and  poison  every  comfort 
thoy  poss&ss.  To  remedy  this,  they  advance  a  kw  steps 


SERMON  IV.  St 

in  the  ways  of  godliness,  and  frame  a  religion  for  them- 
selves, composed  of  as  much  truth  and  duty  as  may  con- 
sist with  their  worldly  prosperity  and  pleasures;  which, 
while  it  leaves  them  sufficient  room  to  prosecute  their 
carnal  aims,  doth  at  the  same  time  serve  for  a  sheath  to 
conscience,  to  keep  it  from  wounding  them  when  tiiey 
are  busied  in  the  brutish  service  of  their  lusts.  Present 
ease  is  what  tliey  chiefly  covet;  and  they  choose  no 
more  of  religion  than  serves  that  purpose. 

Thus  have  1  endeavoured  to  shew  whence  it  is  that 
men  who  deny  the  power  of  godliness  submit  to  the 
drudgery  of  maintaining  the  form  thereof.  Some  do  it 
to  impose  upon  the  world,  that  they  may  gratify  their 
ambitious  or  covetous  desires ;  and  others  do  it  to  im- 
pose upon  themselves,  that  they  may  not  be  "  tormented 
before  the  time." 

And  now,  let  me  address  my  discourse  to  those  who, 
from  what  they  have  heard,  are  in  some  measure  con- 
vinced tiiat  they  are  the  persons  described  in  this  pas- 
sage. ^'  How  long,  0  ye  sons  of  men,  will  ye  love  va- 
nity? How  long  will  ye  spend  your  money  for  that 
which  is  not  bread,  and  your  labour  for  that  which  can- 
not profit  you?"  How  long  will  you  court  the  deceiv- 
ing shadow  of  godliness,  and  fly  from  'the  substance, 
which  would  certainly  enrich  and  save  you?  The  pro- 
digal's punishment  is  your  choice;  you  feed  upon  husks, 
when  there  is  bread  enough  in  your  Father's  house,  and 
to  spare ;  you  take  all  the  trouble  of  appearing  religious, 
and  taste  none  of  the  comforts  that  religion  aflords ;  you 
endure  all  the  fatigue  of  acting  a  constrained,  artificial 
part  before  men,  when,  by  yielding  to  the  power  of  god- 
liness, you  might,  with  less  labour,  and  infinite  delight, 
become  the  very  persons  you  feign  yourselves  to  be. 
When  you  reject  the  truth  and  reality  {)[ godliness^  liow 

VOL.   I.  I 


3^  SERMON  IV. 

can  you  painfully  adhere  to  the  form  of  it?  Or,  when 
you  go  to  the  length  of  being  very  punctual  in  the  ex- 
ternals of  religion,  why  do  you  not  go  a  little  farther, 
and  study  to  be  really  and  inwardly  what  you  outward- 
ly profess,  and  would  seera  to  be? 

Is  it  the  praise  of  men  that  you  covet?  This  at  best 
is  but  an  empty,  fading  thing;  neither  can  you  be  sure 
of  attaining  it.  At  any  rate,  the  foundation  of  it  shall  be 
taken  away  at  the  final  judgment,  when  every  disguise 
shall  be  stripped  off,  and  the  hidden  works  of  darkness 
shall  be  brought  to  light.  Nay,  God  may  detect  your 
base  hypocrisy,  even  before  you  leave  this  world ;  so 
that,  as  it  is  written,  (Job  xxvii.  23.)  <'  Men  shall  clap 
their  hands  at  you,  and  hiss  you  out  of  your  place.'^  Is 
it  riches  you  seek  by  your  seeming  religiousness?  In 
this  likew  ise  you  may  be  disappointed,  according  to  that 
other  threatening  denounced  against  the  hypocrite,  (Job 
xxvii.  10.)  "  Though  he  heap  up  silver  as  the  dust,  and 
prepare  raiment  as  the  clay;  he  may  prepare  it,  but  the 
just  shall  put  it  on,  and  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  sil- 
ver.'' Besides,  "  riches  profit  not  in  the  day  of  God's 
wrath.'^  And,  after  all,  "  What  is  tlie  hope  of  the  hy- 
pocrite, though  he  hath  gained,  when  the  Lord  taketh 
away  his  soul?" — "Can  the  rush  grow  up  without 
mire?  Can  the  flag  grow  without  water?  While  it  is 
yet  in  its  greenness,  and  not  cut  down,  it  withereth  be- 
fore any  other  herb.  So  are  the  paths  of  all  that  forget 
God,  and  the  hypocrite's  hope  shall  perish;  whose  hope 
shall  be  cut  oft\  and  whose  trust  shall  be  a  spider's  web. 
He  shall  lean  upon  his  house,  but  it  shall  not  stand;  he 
shall  hold  it  fast,  but  it  shall  not  endure."  And  oh !  how 
vain  is  that  hope  which  sliall  "  perish"  at  the  very  time 
w  hen  enjoyment  is  expected  !  l?e  awakened  then,  ye 
self-deccivers,  and  know  that  your  formality,  like  the 


SERMON  IV,  83 

harlot's  paint,  is  only  a  false  and  borrowed  beauty, 
which  shall  melt  away  when  you  draw  near  the  fire; 
and  however  you  may  now  hope,  while  under  tlie  threat- 
enings  of  God,  be  assured  that  you  shall  not  be  able  to 
hope  when  under  the  execution  of  them;  despair  shall 
then  become  essential  to  your  misery.  My  brethren,  a 
dream  so  transient,  so  momentary,  is  not  worth  the  hav- 
ing. For  the  Lord's  sake,  then,  awake  in  time,  repent 
unfeignedly  of  your  past  hypocrisy,  and  "  give  no 
sleep  to  your  eyes,  nor  slumber  to  your  eye-lids,"  till 
your  souls  be  acquainted  with  the  power  of  godliness, 
that  you  may  have  something  better  to  lean  upon  than 
delusive  forms,  when  all  earthly  props  shall  slide  from 
beneath  you.  ^'  O  seek  the  Lord  while  he  is  yet  to  be 
found,  and  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 

But  there  are  sinners  of  anotlier  kind,  to  whom  this 
subject  leads  me  to  sppak;  those  I  mean  who  have  not 
so  much  as  the  form  of  godliness.  You,  I  doubt  not, 
have  got  a  great  deal  to  say  against  hypocrites ;  per- 
haps, too,  you  are  very  well  pleased  that  so  '^uch  has 
been  said  to  expose  them  in  the  course  of  this  sermon ; 
and  now  you  exult  in  the  thought,  that  such  a  hateful 
denomination  cannot  be  applied  to  you ;  if  you  are  not 
godly,  yet  surely  you  are  honest,  for  you  do  not  pre- 
tend to  be  godly.  We  shall  by  and  by  examine  your 
boasted  honesty;  in  the  mean  time,  it  deserves  your  se- 
rious consideration,  that,  by  your  own  confession,  you 
are  in  a  great  measure  useless  in  the  world ;  as  you  con- 
tribute notliing,  either  to  the  glory  of  God,  or  to  the  spir- 
itual improvement  of  your  brethren  around  you.  Now, 
here  the  formalist  hath  plainly  the  advantage  of  you ; 
for  though  he  neglects  and  destroys  his  own  soul,  yet, 
by  his  fair  outside,  and  perhaps  by  the  exercise  of  his 
gifts  be  may  recommend  religion  to  the  esteem  ancj 


>i-l!  SERMON  IV. 

choice  of  others ;  like  the  sign-post  which,  though  it 
liath  its  station  without,  doth  nevertheless  mark  the  door 
to  strangers,  and  invite  them  into  the  house;  wiiereas 
you  neitlier  enter  in  yourselves  nor  give  any  assistance 
to  others;  hut,  on  the  contrary,  do  much  to  discourage 
and  hinder  tliem.  But  honesty,  you  say,  is  the  qualifi- 
cation you  chiefly  value,  and  you  are  confident  that  your 
claim  to  that  is  unquestionable. — Not  so  unquestionable 
as  you  imagine.  As  you  do  not  profess  atheism,  you 
must  be  understood  to  acknowledge  the  being  of  a  God ; 
and  as  you  have  not  publicly  renounced  your  baptism, 
you  certainly  mean  to  pass  for  Christians.  None  of  you, 
I  suppose,  are  willing  to  be  reputed  the  enemies  of  God 
and  of  Christ;  on  the  contrary,  would  you  not  exclaim 
against  that  man  as  a  censorious,  malevolent  hypocrite, 
who  should  venture  to  hint  the  remotest  suspicion  of  this 
kind?  And  now,  wherein  doth  your  honesty  lie?  You 
\yould  be  thought  to  love  God,  yet  you  live  in  open  con- 
tempt of  his  authority,  while  you  withhold  that  worship 
and  homage  which  are  due  to  him.  Is  this  honesty  ? 
You  call  yourselves  Christians,  yet  you  practically  re- 
ject the  institutions  of  Christ,  and  cast  his  most  sacred 
commandments  behind  your  back.  Is  tliat  to  be  honest, 
to  profess  one  thing  and  to  do  the  contrary  ?  This,  I 
apprehend,  is  the  very  essence  of  hypocrisy ;  so  that,  if 
you  hate  hypocrites,  you  are  bound  in  justice  to  hate 
yourselves :  for  even  you  are  hypocrites  no  less  than  the 
formalist,  though  you  are  not  commonly  branded  with 
that  opprobrious  title.  The  difference  betwixt  you  lies 
chiefly  in  this; — the  furinalist  is  a  sort  of  bashful  hypo- 
crite, who,  because  he  cannot  deny  the  debt,  makes  a 
show  of  paying  pari,  and  would  be  tlionght  to  pay  the 
whole;  whereas  the  profane  sinner,  who  retains  the  ap- 
pellatiiui  of  Christian,  though  he  pays  no  part  of  what 


SERMON  IV.  85 

he  acknowleilges  to  be  due,  would  ueverlhcless  be  re- 
puted an  honest  man ;  and  therefore  he  too  is  a  hypo- 
crite as  well  as  the  other,  with  as  little  sense,  and  with 
much  less  modesty. 

I  shall  conclude  this  discourse  with  a  few  advices,  for 
tlie  help  of  those  who  are  aiming  at  real  godliness,  and 
would  not  be  deceived  with  names  and  counterfeits. 

Let  your  religion,  then,  my  dear  friends,  be  princi- 
pally seated  in  the  heart;  and  never  reckon  that  you 
are  possessed  of  it  so  long  as  it  lodges  merely  in  the 
understanding.  Knowledge  and  faith  are  in  order  to 
practice ;  and  we  neither  know  nor  believe  to  any  good 
purpose,  unless  our  knowledge  and  faith  influence  our 
practice,  and  make  us  truly  better  men.  Be  sure  to  live 
upon  the  great  fundamentals  of  religion,  and  let  not 
your  attention  to  these  be  diverted  by  an  intemperate 
zeal  about  lesser  things.  Place  not  your  religion  in  dis- 
putable points  and  ineffectual  opinions,  but  in  those 
weightier  matters  of  the  law  and  gospel,  which  are  of 
undoubted  importance,  and  in  which  holy  men,  among 
the  different  denominations  of  Christians,  are  better 
agreed  than  is  commonly  apprehended.  Choose  God 
for  your  portion  and  felicity;  beware  of  thinking  that 
any  thing  besides  himself  is  necessary  to  make  you  hap- 
py; and  live  daily  upon  Christ  Jesus,  as  the  only  Me- 
diator  by  whom  you  can  either  have  access  to  God,  or 
acceptance  with  him.  Indulge  no  sin ;  plead  for  no  in- 
firmity; but  make  it  the  daily  business  of  your  lives  to 
"  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,"  and  '^  to  crucify  the 
flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts."  Walk  continually 
as  in  tlie  sight  of  a  holy,  just,  and  heart-searching  God ; 
and  study  to  be  the  same  in  secret  that  you  wish  to  ap- 
pear in  public.  Rest  not  in  a  low  degree  of  holiness, 
but  love,  and  long,  and  strive  for  the  highest.  And,  for 


Sa  SERMON  V. 

these  purposes,  pray  without  ceasing  for  those  promised 
influences  of  divine  grace,  which  alone  can  heal  your 
diseased  natures,  and  carry  you  forward  from  one  de- 
gree of  holiness  to  another,  till,  being  ripened  for  glory, 
an  entrance  shall  in  due  time  be  administered  unto  you 
abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  To  whom,  with  the  Father, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  and  honour,  dominion 
and  thanksgiving,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 


Isaiah  liii.  3. 

He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men:  He  was  despised^ 
and  we  esteemed  him  not. 


A  HAT  the  whole  of  this  chapter  relates  to  the  Messiah 
is  so  universally  acknowledged,  that  I  need  not  spend 
any  of  your  time  in  proving  it ;  and  whosoever  hath 
read  the  history  of  our  Saviour's  life  with  a  proper  de- 
gree of  attention,  cannot  fail  to  have  remarked  the  ex- 
act accomplishment  of  that  part  of  the  prophecy  which 
I  have  chosen  for  the  subject  of  the  following  discourse; 
*^  Christ  came  unto  his  own,  but  his  own  received  him 
not."  The  learned,  the  rich,  and  the  mighty  among  the 
Jews,  were  almost  universally  combined  against  him ; 
the  most  opposite  parties,  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sad- 
ducecs,  united  their  endeavours  to  discredit  his  doctrine 


SERMON  V.  87 

and  mission :  he  was  condemned  by  the  supreme  coun 
cil  of  the  nation  as  an  impostor  and  blasphemer;  nay, 
the  whole  body  of  the  people  disowned  him  in  the  most 
public  and  contemptuous  manner  before  Pontius  Pilate 
the  Roman  governor,  crying  out  as  with  one  voice, 
'*  Away  with  him,  away  with  him !  crucify  him,  crucify 
him !"  Thus  was  he  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  in 
the  days  of  his  humiliation,  to  which  the  prophet  more 
immediately  refers. 

But  as  the  Jews  are  not  the  only  people  chargeable 
with  this  crime,  as  Christ  hath  been,  and  still  is,  de- 
spised and  rejected  by  many,  even  by  many  of  those 
who  were  baptized  into  his  church,  and  are  called  by 
his  name  ;  we  may  be  allowed  to  consider  the  prediction. 
in  my  text  as  reaching  beyond  the  time  of  our  Saviours 
abode  on  this  earth,  and  looking  forward  to  all  that  in 
jurious  contempt,  which,  in  after  ages,  should  be  cast 
upon  the  blessed  Jesus  by  pretended  friends,  as  well  as 
by  open  and  professed  enemies. 

In  this  large  extent  I  shall  at  present  take  the  liber- 
ty to  discourse  upon  these  words.  And  my  design  is, 
Jirst,  To  show  in  what  respects  it  may  still  be  said  that 
men  despise  and  reject  the  Saviour ;  and,  secondly,  To 
inquire  whence  it  is  that  they  do  this  ? — After  which,  I 
shall  lay  before  you  the  heinous  nature  of  their  guilt, 
and  direct  you  to  the  proper  improvement  of  the  whole. 

I  begin  with  showing  in  what  respects  it  may  still  be 
said  that  Christ  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men. 

True  it  is,  that  his  glorious  person  is  no  more  expo- 
sed to  the  outrage  of  men.  That  body  which  was 
"  scourged,"  "  buffetted,''  "  spit  upon,"  and  "  <jruci- 
fied,"  is  far  beyond  the  reach  of  any  such  abusive  treat- 
ment. He  is  now  exalted  to  his  Father's  right  hand, 
where  he  is  adored  and  worshipped  with  the  most  low- 


88  SERMON  V. 

ly  reverence  bj^  all  tlie  heavenly  host.  But  yet  there  arc 
some  other,  and  no  less  criminal  respects,  in  which  he 
is  still  despised  and  rejected  of  many.  I  speak  not  here 
of  those  baptized  infidels,  who  openly  deny  the  Lord 
''  that  bought  them,''  and  traduce  the  whole  of  his  re- 
ligion as  a  mere  human  contrivance  ;  neither  shall  1  take 
much  notice  of  those  who,  while  they  profess  a  gene- 
ral regard  to  Christ,  do,  at  the  same  time,  entertain  and 
publish  opinions  evidently  inconsistent  with  a  real  es- 
teem of  him,  though  it  cannot  be  wholly  overlooked, 
that  such  there  are  in  the  Christian  world;  some  deny- 
ing his  divinity,  and  others  his  satisfaction ;  some  dis- 
owning the  necessity,  and  others  the  virtue  and  efficacy 
of  his  grace :  All  which  are  so  many  different  ways  of 
vilifying  the  great  Redeemer,  and  detracting  from  his 
true  honour  and  dignity.  But,  passing  these,  my  design 
is  to  show,  that  even  among  such  as  you,  my  brethren, 
who  I  trust  are  not  tainted  with  these  doctrinal  errors, 
it  is  possible  to  find  some  who  ungratefully  deplse  and 
reject  the  Saviour.  May  God  open  their  hearts  to  re- 
ceive conviction,  that  they  may  no  longer  delude  them- 
selves with  "  a  name  to  live,"  while  they  are  spiritual- 
ly "  dead,*'  and  liable  to  everlasting  destruction. 

In  general,  then,  all  who  are  grossly  ignorant  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus,  must  necessarily  be  reputed  despisers 
of  him  ;  for  as  the  means  of  acquiring  knowledge  are  so 
easy,  and  the  opportunities  of  receiving  instruction  so 
frequent,  it  must  be  owing  to  some  culpable  neglect  of 
their  own,  if  any  who  are  capable  of  learning  other 
things  be  unacquainted  with  the  great  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity;  and  this  neglect  too  plainly  betrays  a  contemp- 
tuous disregard  of  Christ  himself. 

More  particularly,  men  may  be  said  to  despise  Christ, 
when  they  do  not  receive  him  as  their  alone  Saviour;  as 


SERMON  V.  8^ 

tlie  true,  the  living,  nay,  the  only  way  to  the  Fatlier. 
He  is  set  forth  in  Scripture  as  the  sole  mediator  between 
God  and  man ;  who,  by  his  atoning  sacrifice,  hath  satis^ 
fied  divine  justice,  and  purchased  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
heal  our  diseased  natures,  and  thereby  render  us  meet 
for  the  perfection  of  our  happiness,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
that  God  who  cannot  behold  iniquity  :  so  that  we  do  not 
properly  express  our  esteem  of  him,  unless  we  acknow- 
ledge him  in  that  important  character,  and  pay  to  him 
those  practical  regards  which  it  claims.  To  honour  him^ 
is  to  acquiesce  thankfully  in  this  ordinance  of  God  for 
redeeming  his  fallen  creatures ;  it  is  to  renounce  all  hope 
of  being  justified  or  saved  by  any  other  means,  and  to 
rely  wholly  upon  the  sacrifice  and  inter'cession  of  this 
High  Priest  for  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  and  the  accep- 
tance of  our  persons  with  God ;  it  is  to  apply  that  blood 
to  ourselves  which  "  cleanseth  from  all  sin,"  and  to  re- 
ceive his  Spirit  to  dwell  witliin  us,  and  to  sway  the  scep- 
tre over  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  our  souls.  A  law- 
yer is  honoured  when  men  employ  hira,  and  commit  their 
cause  to  his  management;  a  physician  is  honoured  when 
men  apply  to  him  for  advice,  and  use  his  prescriptions 
for  their  cure : — In  like  manner,  the  great  Advocate 
with  the  Father,  and  the  Sovereign  Physician  of  souls* 
is  honoured,  not  when  men  talk  well  of  him,  and  ver- 
bally profess  an  esteem  of  him,  but  when  they  actually 
commit  their  cause  to  him,  and  place  their  entire  depen- 
dance  upon  him  for  pardon  and  grace  and  complete  sal- 
vation ;  and  they  that  come  short  of  this  are  in  reality  no 
other  than  despisers  of  Christ;  and,  as  such,  shall  be 
disowned  by  him  at  his  second  coming. 

Again,  Christ  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men  when 
they  practically  deny  his  authority  by  breaking  his  com 
mandmcnts.  We  are  expressly  told,  "  that  all  power  if* 

VOL.  I.  K 


go  SERMON  y. 

committed  to  him  in  lieaven  and  on  earth ; — for  God 
hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and  given  him  to  be 
head  over  all  things  for  the  church,"  Now,  to  honour 
him  in  this  character,  is  to  yield  a  cheerful  and  unre- 
served obedience  to  his  laws ;  it  is  to  acknowledge  his 
sovereignty  over  us,  and  his  property  in  us,  not  only  as 
our  Creator,  but  likewise  as  our  Redeemer,  who  hath 
bought  us  with  his  blood;  and  in  consequence  thereof, 
to  glorify  him  both  with  our  bodies  and  our  spirits, 
which  are  his.  Therefore,  all  they  who  make  their  owa 
will  the  rule  of  their  conduct,  who  do  not  resign  them- 
selves entirely  to  the  disposal  and  government  of  this 
King  of  Zion,  whatever  their  profession  be,  they  cer- 
tainly despise  and  reject  him;  and  though  not  in  words 
periiaps,  yet  by  their  deeds  they  say  with  the  rebellious 
Jews,  We  ivill  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us, 
"  Why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,"  said  our  Saviour, 
^^and  do  not  the  things  which  I  say?"  plainly  intimat- 
ing, that  all  outward  expressions  of  esteem  are  mere 
hypocrisy  and  empty  grimace,  without  a  sincere  and 
unlimited  subjection  to  his  laws. 

Further,  men  despise  Christ,  when  they  do  not  give 
him  the  chief  room  in  their  hearts,  nor  prefer  him  ia 
their  choice  to  every  thing  else.  The  language  of  a  true 
disciple  is,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and 
there  is  none  upon  earth  whom  1  desire  besides  thee." 
If  Christ  be  not  esteemed  and  lovetl  above  every  thing, 
he  is  not  truly  esteemed  or  loved  at  all ;  and  this  I  take 
to  be  the  meaning  of  these  strong  expressions,  (Luke 
xiv.  20.)  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  fa- 
ther and  mother,  and  wife  and  children,  and  brethren 
and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my 
disciple."  They  who  are  not  willing  to  part  with  ease 
and  pleasures,  with  riches,  and  honours,  and  friends, 


SERMON  V.  91 

with  whatever  is  dear  to  thera  in  a  present  world,  nay, 
with  life  itself,  for  Christ's  sake,  plainly  discover  that 
they  have  no  just  sense  of  his  worth  and  excellence : 
They  who  do  not  prefer  him  to  the  whole  world,  and 
cannot  rest  in  his  love  as  a  suificient  portion,  without 
any  thing  else,  pretend  what  they  will,  they  do  not  tru- 
ly esteem  him.  And,  to  conclude  this  head, 

They  too  must  be  numbered  among  the  desjJisers  of 
Christ,  who  do  not  publicly  confess  him  before  men,  or 
who  wilfully  neglect  any  of  those  oiHlinances  he  hath 
instituted,  as  the  methods  of  testifying;  our  subjection  to 
him,  and  the  means  of  receiving  benetitsfrom  him.  I  real- 
ly do  not  see  how  any  man  can  be  said  to  esteem  Christ, 
who  doth  not  embrace  every  proper  opportunity  of  con- 
versing witb  him,  or  of  hearing  tidings  concerning  him; 
and,  in  particular,  the  habitual  neglect  of  social  worship, 
either  in  the  family  or  in  the  church,  hath  such  a  strong 
appearance  of  estrangement  and  disregard,  that  it  is 
hard  for  me  to  conceive  how  any  person  can  persist  in 
it,  who  doth  not  in  his  heart  despise  the  Saviour. 

Thus  have  I  endeavoured  to  show  in  what  respects 
it  may  be  said,  even  at  this  present  time,  that  Christ  is 
despised  and  rejected  of  men. 

The  causes  of  this  contempt  are  the  second  thing  to 
be  inquired  into.  And  I  apprehend  the  first  and  main 
cause  of  this  contempt  of  Christ,  among  the  hearers  of 
the  gospel,  is  a  secret  unbelief  which  they  are  not  aware 
of.  For  did  they  truly  believe  the  doctrine  concerning 
the  Saviour; — that  he  only  "  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life ;  and  that  no  man  cometh,"  or  can  come,  ^*  to 
the  Father,  but  by  him ;-' — that  he  is  God's  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased : — and  that  without  an 
interest  in  him,  and  entire  subjection  to  him,  they  can- 
not be  saved ; — it  would  be  impossible  to  despise  hint 


tj2  SERMON  V. 

in  any  of  these  ways  I  have  mentioned :  for  to  them  who 
thus  believe,  Christ  is,  and  must  be  precious.  But  men 
deceive  themselves:  they  have  a  vague,  confused,  and 
indeterminate  opinion,  and  are  accustomed  to  say  in  the 
general,  that  tlie  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God;  but 
they  never  saw  the  evidence  of  their  truth  in  such  a  light 
as  to  be  thoroughly  persuaded  of  it.  They  think  the 
doctrines  contained  in  the  Christian  revelation  may  be 
true ;  but  here  they  stop ;  and  because  they  are  not  down- 
right iniidels,  they  fancy  themselves  believers,  when  in 
truth  they  are  not. 

2dly.  The  love  of  this  world  is  another  cause  of  mens 
contempt  of  Christ,  and  of  his  gospel.  They  can  afford 
liim  honourable  titles,  and  external  homage;  but  to  fol- 
low him  fully  will  not  consist  w  ith  their  worldly  desires 
and  aims.  Such  was  the  young  ruler,  who  addressed 
that  important  question  to  our  Saviour,  "  Good  Master, 
what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  Luke  xviii.  18. 
He  appeared  thoughtful  and  serious,  bej'ond  what  might 
have  been  expected  from  his  age  and  rank,  and  had  gone 
an  uncommon  length  in  an  outward  conformity  to  the 
law;  but  when  our  Lord  commanded  him  ^^  to  sell  all, 
and  give  to  the  poor,  he  was  sad  at  that  saying,  and  went 
away  sorrowful,  because  he  had  large  possessions. '^  Of 
this  we  have  a  striking  illustration  in  the  parable  of  the 
inarriage-supper,  which  is  recorded  in  the  22d  chapter 
of  Matthew's  gospel.  The  invitation  is  very  warm  and 
pressing  at  the  4th  verse :  "  Behold  I  liave  prepared  my 
dinner :  my  oxen  and  my  fallings  are  killed,  and  all 
things  are  ready :  come  to  the  marriage."  But  it  follows 
immediately,  '•  They  made  light  of  it,  and  went  their 
ways,  one  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise." 
This,  my  Lrethren,  still  continues  to  be  a  very  common 
jjause  of  mens  despising  and  rejecting  Christ,    They 


SERMON  V.  93 

eee  the  world,  but  they  sec  not  the  celestial  gloiy ;  the 
one  is  present,  the  other  only  future,  and  therefore  too 
remote  to  work  upon  their  afl'ections.  If  both  could  be 
obtained,  they  would  no  doubt  be  very  well  satisfied; 
and  if  religion  and  their  worldly  interest  take  one  road^ 
they  will  be  ready  enough  to  pay  the  compliment  to  our 
Lord,  and  to  say  that  they  follow  him:  but  when  these 
separate,  then  their  contempt  discovers  itself;  they 
cleave  to  the  world,  and  forsake  Christ. — ^'  Demas 
hath  forsaken  me,"  said  Paul,  "  having  loved  this  pre- 
sent world." — So  true  is  that  saying  of  the  apostle  John 
(1  Epist.  ii.  15.)  ''  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love 
of  the  Father,"  and  with  equal  reason  we  may  add,  the 
love  of  the  Redeemer,  "  is  not  in  him." 

A  third  cause  of  this  contempt  is  men's  ignorance  of 
their  own  condition ;  like  the  church  of  the  l^aodiceans, 
they  *'  boast  that  they  are  rich,  and  increased  with 
goods,  and  standing  in  need  of  nothing;  and  knov/  not 
that  they  are  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and 
blind,  and  naked."  Some  have  so  iiigh  an  opinion  of 
their  own  understanding,  that  they  see  no  need  of  a  pro- 
phet to  instruct  them.  Others  have  such  low  thoughts 
of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  such  a  conceit  of  their  own  righ- 
teousness and  worth,  that  they  see  as  little  need  of  a 
priest  to  expiate  their  guilt,  and  reconcile  them  to  God. 
A  third  sort  lay  so  much  stress  on  their  unassisted  pow- 
ers, and  tlie  eflGcacy  of  their  own  resolutions  and  endea- 
vours, that  a  king  to  subdue  them  by  his  grace  and  spirit 
appears  altogether  superfluous.  Thus  Christ  is  despised 
through  men's  ignorance  and  pride ;  unacquainted  with 
their  state  of  darkness,  guilt,  and  corruption,  they  reject 
him  wiio  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  save  them; 
they  feel  not  their  diseases,  and  therefore  treat  the  phy- 
sician with  contempt  and  scorn.  Once  more,  in  the 


94j  sermon  V. 

4f/i  place,  Not  a  few  pour  contempt  upon  Christ,  and 
reject  his  offers  from  day  to  day,  from  an  opinion  that 
they  may  obtain  his  aid  at  what  time  soever  they  shall 
choose  to  ask  it.  They  say  not  indeed  with  the  Atheist, 
'^  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die ;"  neither 
do  they  say  with  the  gross  Antinomian,  Let  us  sin  with- 
out fear,  seeing  Christ  hath  died  for  us,  and  is  therefore 
determined  to  save  us  at  any  rate.  But  they  say  what  is 
equally  absurd.  Let  us  take  a  full  draught  of  the  sweet 
poison  of  sin,  seeing  the  remedy  is  so  near  at  hand  that 
we  may  apply  it  when  we  please.  O  that  this  were  not 
too  common !  I  am  afraid  it  will  appear,  upon  inquiry, 
that  there  is  too,  too  much  of  this  vile  presumption  in  our 
hearts.  But  can  there  be  a  greater  dishonour  done  to 
Christ?  Must  his  bloody  sufferings,  and  unparalleled 
love,  support  our  rebellion,  and  embolden  us  to  sin?  Can 
any  thing  be  more  criminal?  But  this  1  shall  have  oc- 
casion to  speak  of  immediately;  and  shall  only  say  at 
present,  that  thousands,  and  ten  thousands,  have  perish- 
ed, who  once  had  the  remedy  as  near  them  as  you  have, 
and  who  also,  perhaps,  dreamed  of  the  same  facility  in 
applying  it.  To  which  I  may  add,  that  cut  of  your  own 
mouths  you  shall  be  condemned  at  last,  and  shall  find 
nothing  to  plead  in  arrest  of  judgment,  when  God  shall 
say  to  you,  Why  did  you  not  repent,  and  believe  in  the 
Saviour,  seeing  you  thought  it  so  easy,  that  you  could 
do  it  when  you  pleased? 

O  that  men  were  wise!  that  they  understood  these 
things,  and  would  consider,  in  this  day  of  their  merciful 
visitation,  the  things  that  belong  to  their  peace,  before 
they  be  for  ever  liid  from  their  eyes !  I  cannot  allow  my- 
self to  think,  tliat  any  of  you  are  already  acquainted 
with  all  the  deformity  of  tlie  sin  I  have  been  speaking 
of  J  and  that;  after  viewing  it  in  its  full  dimensions,  you 


SERMON  T.  95 

arc  perfectly  recouciled  to  it,  and  resolved  to  persist  iu 
it.  I  would  gladly  liope  that  this  is  not  the  case ;  but  ra- 
ther that  the  great  enemy  of  your  happiness  has  hitherto 
kept  you  iu  the  dark,  and  in  great  measure  concealed 
from  you  both  your  guilt  and  your  danger.  Perhaps,  to 
this  moment,  you  have  never  seriously  thought  upon 
your  ways,  but  blindly  followed  the  fashion  of  the 
world,  and  suffered  yourselves  to  be  carried  along  with 
the  crowd,  without  any  suspicion  that  you  are  charge- 
able with  crimes  of  such  a  hellish  nature  as  are  included 
in  despising  and  rejecting  the  Saviour.    I  shall  there- 
fore proceed,  in  the 

Third  place,  To  give  you  a  short  representation  of 
the  malignity  of  this  sin;  which,  if  duly  attended  to, 
may  be  of  use  to  dissolve  the  enchantment,  by  which 
the  god  of  this  world  hath  so  long  blinded  your  eyes, 
and  rendered  you  insensible  to  the  misery  of  your  con- 
dition. 

Consider,  then,  that  to  despise  and  reject  such  a  Sa- 
viour, is  the  blackest  ingratitude  that  can  possibly  be 
imagined.  It  was  a  cutting  question  that  Christ  put  to 
the  Jews  when  they  went  about  to  kill  him :  "  Many 
good  works  have  I  shewed  you  from  my  Father,  for 
w  hich  of  these  works  do  ye  stone  me  ?*'  To  render  evil 
for  good,  hatred  for  love,  is  accounted  monstrous  among 
men ;  and  the  person  who  behaves  in  such  a  manner  to- 
wards his  fellow-creature,  is  justly  condemned  and 
abhorred  by  all :  and  yet  the  most  lieinous  and  detesta- 
ble instance  of  ingratitude  among  men  is  as  nothing 
when  compared  with  your  ingratitude  toAvards  God. 
Did  he,  without  any  solicitation  from  you,  and  not  only 
without,  but  even  contrary  to,  your  desert,  send  his  own 
Son  into  the  world  to  save  you  ?  Did  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the 


^•^. 


-^     96  SERMON  V. 

express  image  of  his  person,"  assume  your  nature,  be-* 
come  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  griefs; 
lead  a  poor,  afflicted,  persecuted  life,  and  at  last  die  a 
shameful,  painful,  and  accursed  death,  to  satisfy  oflfend- 
ed  justice,  and  to  render  your  happiness  consistent  with 
the  honour  of  the  divine  government?  And  is  this  your 
requital? 

I  beseech  you,  my  brethren,  to  bestow  some  attention 
upon  this;  and  if  your  hearts  have  any  softness  at  all, 
such  unparalleled  baseness  cannot  fail  to  make  the  deep- 
est  impression  upon  tliem.  Does  this  astonishing,  unde- 
served goodness  merit  no  regard?  Doth  Grod's  unspeak- 
able gift  to  men  deserve  no  returns  of  gratitude  and 
praise?  Shall  the  blood  of  Christ  be  shed  in  vain,  nay, 
trampled  under  foot,  as  an  unholy  thing?  Will  you 
"  crucify  the  Son  of  God  afresh,"'  and  say,  by  your  ne- 
glect of  his  great  salvation,  "  Away  with  him !  away 
with  him  !'* — "We  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them 
we  will  go?"'  Surely  you  cannot,  you  will  not,  pretend 
to  justify  this  conduct:  there  is  something  in  it  so  disin- 
genuous and  perverse,  so  shocking  and  unnatural,  that 
I  am  persuaded,  when  you  attend  to  it,  you  must  loathe 
and  abhor  yourselves  on  account  of  it. 

But  this  is  not  the  whole  of  your  guilt :  Your  ingrati- 
tude is  heightened  by  the  most  insolent  contempt  both 
of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God.  You  charge  God 
-with  folly,  when  you  reject  the  terms  of  the  gospel-cove- 
nant; for  your  behaviour  plainly  implies  one  of  the  fol- 
lowing accusations;  either  that  this  method  of  salvation 
is  unnecessary,  and  that  God  from  all  eternity  hath  em- 
ployed his  counsels  about  a  needless  affair;  or  else  that 
it  is  ineffectual,  and  that  the  person  whom  God  hath  cho- 
sen to  execute  this  design  is  not  wortliy  to  be  depended 
upon;  or  that  the  terms  proposed  are  so  rigorous  and 


SERMON  V.  97 

severe,  that  a  wise  man  would  rather  choose  to  perish 
than  submit  to  them.  Thus  dost  thou  arraign  thy  God, 
O  sinner!  And  art  thou  able  to  make  good  thy  charge? 
Dost  thou  hope  to  prevail  in  the  day  when  God  shall 
plead  with  thee? 

Nay,  further,  by  despising  and  rejecting  Christ,  you  ' 
openly  proclaim  war  against  the  Most  High,  and  bid 
him  defiance.  He  hath  "  set  his  King  upon  his  holy 
hill  of  Zion,"  and  "  put  all  things  under  his  feet:''  he 
hath  ordained,  by  an  irreversible  decree,  that  ''  all  men 
should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Fa- 
ther:" he  hath  published  to  the  world,  that  there  is  no 
other  name  given  among  men,  by  which  they  can  be 
saved,  but  the  name  of  Jesus ;  that  this  glorious  Media- 
tor is  constituted  the  final  Judge  of  mankind ;  and  that 
they  who  do  not  bow  to  the  sceptre  of  his  grace,  shall 
be  dashed  in  pieces  with  his  rod  of  iron,  in  that  day 
when  he  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven,  with  his  migh- 
ty angels,  in  flaming  fire,  to  take  vengeance  upon  those 
who  knew  not  God,  and  obeyed  not  tiiis  gospel  which 
we  now  preach  to  you :  And  yet,  in  the  face  of  all  these 
declarations,  you  proudly  say  by  your  conduct,  "  We 
will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us ;"  we  neither 
fear  his  power  nor  court  his  grace,  but  are  determined 
to  stand  on  our  own  defence.'' 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  malignity  of  your  sin :  it 
includes  the  blackest  ingratitude,  heightened  by  the 
most  insolent  contempt,  nay,  an  open  defiance  of  the 
omnipotent  God ;  rejecting  his  offered  mercy,  and  dar 
ing  him  to  execute  all  the  rigour  of  his  justice.  I  do  not 
mean  that  you  are  at  present  conscious  of  this  compli- 
cated impiety;  I  rather  suppose  that  you  are  startled 
when  you  hear  it  mentioned,  and  are  ready  to  reply,  as 
Hazael  did  to  Elisha,  '<  Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he 

VOL.  I.  I.  * 


ga  SERMON  V. 

should  do  these  things?''  But  be  assured,  all  I  have  now 
said  shall  be  made  good  against  you  at  last  if  you  con- 
tinue to  despise  and  reject  the  Saviour:  and  the  greatest 
mercy  that  can  befal  you  in  the  mean  time,  is,  to  get 
those  eyes  opened  which  Satan  hath  so  long  closed,  that 
you  may  see  and  abhor  your  guilt  in  this  matter.  0  be 
exhorted,  then,  deliberately  to  weigh  the  representation 
I  bave  given  you!  and  think  what  must  become  of  you, 
if  you  go  out  of  this  world  with  such  a  dreadful  load  of 
guilt  as  I  have  endeavoured  to  describe. 

By  this  time  you  must  all  see  your  concern  in  this 
subject.  I  have  told  you,  that  it  is  possible,  even  among 
such  as  you,  who  attend  upon  ordinances,  and  profess 
a  general  esteem  of  Christ,  to  find  despisers  and  reject- 
ers of  him:  I  have  mentioned  sundry  instances  of  con- 
tempt, which  persons,  who  are  neither  Jews  nor  infidels, 
but  who  call,  and  even  think  themselves  the  disciples  of 
Jesus,  may  be  guilty  of:  and  you  have  just  now  heard 
the  heinous  nature  and  the  high  aggravations  of  this  sin: 
so  that  you  see  they  are  no  trivial  matlers  I  have  been 
talking  of,  but  matters  which  infinitely  concern  the 
whole  Christian  world,  and  yourselves  in  particular.  I 
now  come  to  point  out  the  improvement,  which  I  hum- 
bly wish,  and  fervently  pray,  that  every  one  of  you,  my 
dear  'Viends  and  brethren,  would  make  of  this  subject. 

I  would  have  you,  then,  as  the  best  and  most  neces- 
sary improvement  of  all  that  you  have  heard,  to  enter 
immediately  into  your  own  hearts,  and  mak?  an  impar- 
tial inquiry  into  your  esteem  of  Christ,  according  to  the 
marks  I  formerly  gave  you.  O  beware  of  self-deceit  in 
this  trial !  You  may  weep  at  the  history  of  his  sufierings, 
when  you  read  or  hear  how  barbarously  he  was  treated 
by  the  Jews ;  and  yet  you  may  reject  him.  You  may  feel 
some  emotions  of  gratitude  and  joy^  when  you  hear  of 


SERMON  V.  99 

the  greatness  of  his  love,  and  the  value  of  his  purchase, 
and  yet  perish  for  despising  him.  Yon  may,  nnder  alarms 
of  conscience,  feel  strong  desires  after  him  to  save  you 
from  the  wrath  of  God,  and,  after  all,  be  heart  enemies 
to  him.  Nay,  you  may  be  zealous  reprovers  of  others 
for  despising  Christ,  and  paint  tlie  deformity  of  this  sin 
in  stronger  colours  than  I  have  been  able  to  do;  but, 
alas!  if  you  have  no  better  evidrnce  for  proving  your 
esteem  of  him,  your  present  trust  is  no  better  than  ^^  the 
spider's  web,"  and  your  hope,  in  the  time  of  your  great- 
est need,  shall  be  as  "  the  giving  up  of  the  ghost."  lu 
short,  your  esteem  of  Christ  must  be  greater  than  your 
esteem  of  all  the  profits,  and  pleasures,  and  honours,  of 
this  world ;  and  you  must  manifest  this  esteem  by  a  cor- 
dial acceptance  of  him,  and  an  entire  subjection  to  him; 
otherwise  you  shall  be  condemned  at  last,  as  persons 
who  have  despised  and  rejected  this  great  Redeemer. 

Thus,  my  brethren,  have  I  held  up  the  glass,  in  which, 
if  you  are  not  wilfully  blind,  you  may  behold  your  true 
picture :  and  if  you  have  attended,  and  suiFered  consci- 
ence to  do  its  office,  some  of  you,  I  am  persuaded,  must 
be  convinced  that  you  are  the  persons  who  have  hitherto 
despised  and  rejected  the  Saviour;  and  therefore  it  is 
time  for  me  to  ask.  What  is  your  present  resolution?  Is 
this  a  state  to  be  continued  in?  Would  any  of  you,  if  left 
to  your  own  choice,  be  willing  to  be  found  in  this  condi- 
tion at  last?  Brethren,  this  is  a  serious  question,  and 
ought  not  to  be  slightly  passed  over:  The  Lord  Jesus 
now  waiteth  upon  you  for  an  answer;  but  remember, 
that  ere  long  you  must  wait  upon  him  for  a  doom.  As 
therefore  you  would  be  found  of  him  in  peace,  come  now 
to  a  speedy  and  firm  determination.  You  have  despised 
him  too  long  already;  O  do  not  add  this  farther  instance 
of  contempt,  to  hesitate^  while  1  uow  plead  with  yoa 


100  SERMON  V. 

whether  or  no  you  should  this  moment  renounce  all  com- 
petitors, and  give  him  the  chief  room  in  your  hearts. 
May  I  hope  you  are  resolved?  Happy  you,  thrice  hap- 
py, if  you  be  so!  Now  you  begin  to  live,  your  former 
unworthy  behaviour  shall  all  be  forgiven;  and  that  com- 
passionate Redeemer,  who  procured  sparing  mercy  for 
you  even  when  you  despised  him,  and,  by  his  gracious 
interposition,  Iiath  kept  you  alive  till  this  hour,  \u\\  not 
reject  your  penitent,  believing  souls,  but  will  accept  your 
esteem  and  love,  though  late ;  and,  in  return,  will  be- 
stow upon  you  all  the  enriching  benefits  of  his  purchase. 
But  if  any  of  you  shall  justify  your  former  contempt, 
and  resolve  to  persist  in  it,  I  must  declare  the  righteous 
sentence  of  God  ;  and  I  shall  do  it  in  the  words  of  John 
the  Baptist  (John  iii.  36.)  ^^  He  that  believeth  not  the 
Son,  shall  not  sec  life;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him/*'  Let  my  counsel  therefore  be  acceptable  unto  you : 
"  Seek  the  Lord  while  lie  is  yet  to  be  found,  and  call 
upon  liim  while  lie  is  near.  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be 
angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way :  for  if  once  his  wrath 
be  kindled  but  a  little,  then  sliall  it  be  found  that  they," 
and  they  only,  "are  blessed  who  put  their  trust  in  him.'^ 


lot 

Romans  iii.  19. 

J^ow  ice  knoic,  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith, 
it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the  law;  that  every 
mouth  may  be  stojiped,  and  all  the  world  may  become 
guilty  before  God. 


L  HE  great  design  of  this  epistle  is  to  lead  men  to 
Christ,  as  the  only  refuge  for  perishing  sinners :  and 
because  none  will  value  a  remedy  but  tliey  who  feel 
their  disease,  and  wish  for  health,  the  apostle  therefore, 
in  tlic  two  foregoing  chapters,  examines  the  condition 
both  of  Gentiles  and  Jews;  under  which  denominations, 
the  whole  posterity  of  Adam  are  included ;  and  {uoves, 
by  plain,  undeniable  facts,  that  all,  without  exception, 
are  guilty  before  God,  and  consequently,  that  all  stand 
in  need  of  a  Saviour.  In  the  verses  immediately  preced- 
ing my  text,  he  brings  several  quotations  from  the  Old 
Testament  writings,  which  give  a  very  strong  and  me- 
lancholy representation  of  the  corruption  and  depravity 
of  the  human  kind.  But  lest  the  Jews  sliould  allege  that 
these,  and  other  passages  of  the  like  nature,  were  only 
descriptive  of  the  Gentile  nations,  and  could  not  justly 
be  extended  to  them,  whom  God  had  chosen  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  and  set  apart  for  himself  as  his  pecu- 
liar inheritance ;  he  judged  it  proper  to  remind  them, 
that  the  sacred  books,  from  which  he  had  taken  the 
above  description,  were  primarily  addressed  to  the 
Jews,  and  designed  for  their  instruction  and  use:    We 


.^1^ 


iOS  SERMON  VI. 

Tcnow^  says  he,  ihat  what  things  soever  the  law  saith, 
it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the  law;  consequently 
these  quotations,  which  are  all  expressly  contained  in 
the  law,  may  and  ought  to  be  considered  as  a  just  re- 
presentation of  the  state  of  those  to  whom  that  law  or 
revelation  was  given.  And  he  further  adds,  that  they 
were  inserted  in  Scripture  for  this  very  purpose,  that 
the  plea  of  innocence  being  taken  away  from  the  Jews 
as  well  as  from  the  Gentiles,  every  mouth  might  be  stop- 
ped, and  thus  all  the  world  might  become  guilty  before 
God.  From  which  words,  as  they  stand  connected  with 
the  apostle's  reasoning,  we  learn,  in  the 

First  place,  That  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  bring  men 
to  a  proper  sense  and  acknowledgment  of  their  guilt  and 
misery. 

I  hope  none  will  be  so  unreasonable  as  to  require  a 
laboured  proof  of  tliis  observation ;  for  you  will  easily 
perceive  that  I  can  have  no  other  witnesses  to  produce 
but  yourselves.  T  affirm  that  it  is  so  upon  the  authority 
of  Scripture ;  and  can  only  appeal  to  your  own  hearts 
for  the  truth  of  it.  Besides,  none  will  deny  this  who  are 
already  convinced  of  their  guilt  and  misery ;  for  this  is 
an  essential  property  of  real  conviction,  that  the  deeper 
it  is,  it  renders  the  person  still  more  sensible  of  the  natu- 
ral hardness  of  his  heart ;  so  that  nothing  grieves  him  so 
much,  as  that  he  cannot  grieve  more  for  sinning  against 
God :  And  they  who  are  of  an  opposite  character,  who 
boast,  ''  That  they  are  rich,  and  increased  with  goods, 
and  standing  in  need  of  nothing;"  such  persons,  I  say, 
prove  the  truth  of  this  observation,  by  demanding  a  proof 
of  it,  and  are  themselves  examples  of  the  thing  they  deny. 

1  know  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  bring  men  to  a  general 
acknowledgment  that  they  are  sinners.  Many  are  ready 
enough  to  confess  this  much,  who,  at  the  same  time,  have 


SERMON  VI.  103 

a  very  good  opinion  of  their  state :  for  though  they  can- 
not lay  claim  to  perfect  innocence,  yet  they  look  upon 
their  guilt  as  a  very  trivial  thing,  and  imagine  that  their 
vices  are  more  than  overbalanced  by  the  virtues  they  are 
possessed  of;  and  thus,  "  being  ignorant  of  God's  righ- 
teousness," or  of  that  righteousness  which  is  necessary 
to  justify  a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God,  "  they  go  about 
to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  and  will  not  sub- 
mit themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God." 

Pride  is  the  hereditary  disease  of  our  natures  :  we  de- 
rive it  from  our  first  parents;  and  though  it  is  subdued 
in  all  who  are  sanctified,  yet  still  it  lives  within  them, 
and  is  always  the  last  part  of  the  old  man  that  dies. 
Nay,  it  is  apt  to  grow  upon  the  ruin  of  other  sins,  as  we 
see  in  that  noted  instance  of  the  Pharisee,  who,  under 
the  specious  pretext  of  thanking  God  for  his  grace,  went 
up  into  the  temple  merely  to  give  vent  to  his  self-admi- 
ration :  "  God,"  said  he,  "  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not 
as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers ;  I  fast 
twice  a-week,  1  pay  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess."  What 
he  said  might  be  true ;  nay,  our  Lord  seems  plainly  to 
admit  that  it  was  so :  yet  he  tells  us,  that  this  vain-glo- 
rious creature  carried  nothing  away  with  him  but  his 
self-conceit:  he  returned  to  his  own  house  without  the 
blessing  of  God ;  "  For  every  one  that  exalteth  himself 
shall  be  abased ;  whereas  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall 
be  exalted." 

This,  my  brethren,  is  one  main  cause  why  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  hath  so  little  effect.  Could  we  bring 
men  to  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  misery,  they  would 
gladly  listen  to  the  tidings  of  a  Saviour.  But  this  is  dif- 
ficult work  indeed.  We  can  scarcely  persuade  the  most 
profligate  wretch  to  think  himself  in  danger,  till  God 
lay  his  hand  upon  him,  and  set  death  before  his  eyes. 


iG§  SERMON  TI. 

Judge,  tlien,  how  hard  a  task  it  must  be,  to  convince  the 
more  close  and  reserved  sinner!  who  probably  has  got 
beneath  him  some  empty  forms  of  duty,  upon  which  he 
leans,  and  couiidently  presumes  that  all  shall  be  well 
with  him. 

I  have  frequently  observed,  that  no  sermons  are  so 
tasteless  to  many  hearers  as  those  which  treat  of  the  Sa- 
viour: they  can  listen  to  other  subjects  ;  but  when  we 
talk  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  that  great  salvation  "  which 
angels  desire  to  look  into,"  they  dismiss  their  attention, 
and  perhaps  make  a  shift  to  sleep  in  their  seats;  when, 
God  knows,  were  they  aware  of  the  thousandth  part  of 
their  danger,  they  would  find  it  diflScult  enough  io  sleep 
on  their  beds.  Did  we  really  see  ourselves  in  a  just 
light,  could  we  divest  ourselves,  for  a  little,  our  pride 
and  prejudice,  till  we  got  one  serious  and  impartial  view 
of  our  natural  condition,  this  would  render  a  Saviour  so 
necessary,  that  we  should  never  be  at  rest  till  we  had 
secured  his  friendship  :  But  as  our  Lord  himself  hath 
told  us  ^*  they  that  are  whole  have  no  need  of  the  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick."'  I  shall  therefore  proceed 
to  show,  in  the 

Second  place,  That  all  men,  without  exception,  are 
guilty  before  God;  and  that  whoever  attends  to  the 
Scriptures  of  truth,  or  gives  ear  to  the  testimony  of  his 
own  conscience,  may  soon  discover  such  plain  convinc- 
ing evidence  of  guilt,  as  is  sufficient  to  stop  his  mouth, 
and  to  render  him  speechless  and  self- condemned  in  the 
presence  of  a  just  and  iioly  God.  This  proposition  is 
perfectly  consistent  with  the  former;  for  the  difficulty 
of  bringing  men  to  a  right  sense  and  acknowledgment 
of  their  guilt  and  misery,  doth  not  arise  from  any  want 
of  evidence,  but  is  purely  owing  to  their  own  inatten- 


SERMON  VI.  103 

lion  and  pride.  The  sad  truth  is  clear  as  noon-day  ;  but 
they  shut  their  eyes,  and  will  not  see  it. 

As  the  testimony  of  Scripture  is  full  and  explicit,  so 
the  short  abstract  contained  in  the  foregoing  verses 
speaks  upon  this  head  with  the  utmost  possible  preci- 
sion. "  There  is  none  righteous,  no  not  one.  There  is 
none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh 
after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are 
together  become  unprofitable,  there  is  none  that  doeth 
good,  no  not  one.  Tiieir  throat  is  an  open  sepul- 
chre; with  their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit;  the 
poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips :  whose  mouth  is 
full  of  cursing  and  bitterness.  Their  feet  are  swift  to 
shed  blood.  Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways ; 
and  the  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known.  There  is  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  And  these  things,  the 
apostle  informs  us,  were  written  not  merely  to  stop  the 
moutlis  of  some  notorious  offenders,  who  proclaim  their 
sins  as  Sodom,  and  hide  them  not;  but  that  every  mouth 
might  be  stopped,,  and  all  the  world  become  guilty  before 
God,  Accordingly,  at  the  23d  verse  of  this  chapter,  he 
concludes  upon  the  whole  evidence  in  the  following 
words  :  "  For  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God." 

This  truth  hath  been  attested  by  the  most  eminent 
saints  that  ever  lived  upon  earth.  "  Behold  I  was  sha- 
pen  in  iniquity,"  said  David,  "  and  in  sin  did  my  mo- 
ther conceive  me;"  and  therefore  he  pleads  in  another 
place,  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,  O 
Lord  ;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified." 
*'  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,"  said  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  *'  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags  ; 
and  we  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf,  and  our  iniquities,  like  the 
wind,  have  carried  us  away."  Neither  liave  t^ie  saints 

VOL.  T.  M 


iQ&  SERMON  VI. 

under  the  New  Testament  dispensation  been  any  whit 
behind  them  in  penitent  acknowledgments  of  their  guilt, 
Paul  stales  himself  "  the  ciiief  of  sinners  ;"  and  the  be- 
loved disciple  declares,  in  express  terms,  that  all  pre- 
tensions to  innocence  are  not  only  false  but  blasphemous ; 
''  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Nay,  *'  if  we  say  that  we 
have  not  sinned,  we  make  God  a  liar,  and  his  word  is 
not  in  us."  1  John  i.  8.  9. 

This  further  appears  from  the  various  kinds  of  misery 
which  abound  in  the  world,  especially  death, from  which 
none  of  Adam's  posterity  are  exempted.  These  do  ne- 
cessarily suppose  guilt;  for  it  is  not  agreeable  to  the  jus- 
tice of  God  to  afflict  and  punish  innocent  creatures.  Now, 
this  mean  of  conviction  is  so  plain  and  obvious,  that  a 
man  must  do  great  violence  to  his  reason  before  he  can 
resist  the  evidence  it  affords.  Goodness  and  justice  are 
attributes  which  are  universally  considered  as  most  es- 
sential to  the  Supreme  Being;  and  yet  it  is  impossible 
to  account  for  the  present  calamitous  state  of  mankind, 
in  a  consistency  with  these  perfections,  upon  any  other 
supposition  than  this,  that  ^'all  have  sinned,"  and  there- 
by incurred  his  righteous  displeasure.  So  that  you  see 
there  is  no  penury  of  witnesses  upon  this  head.  The 
Bcriplures  expressly  declare  that  all  are  sinners;  the 
most  eminent  saints  under  both  dispensations  have  at- 
tested the  truth  of  this  assertion;  and  the  many  awful 
tokens  of  the  divine  displeasure,  which  we  daily  behold 
and  feel,  render  it  absurd  to  suppose  the  contrary. 

But  there  is  yet  another  witness  beliind,  whose  testi- 
mony can  be  liable  to  no  objection ;  a  witness  which  ev- 
ery man  will  find  within  his  own  breast;  I  mean  Con- 
science,  to  whicli  I  now  appeal  for  tlie  truth  of  this  mat- 
ter.   And  here  I  shall  renew  the  question  which  Solo- 


* 


SERMON  VI.  107 

mon  proposed  many  ages  ago:  "  Who  can  say,  I  have 
made  my  heart  clean,  1  am  pure  from  my  sins?"  Can 
you  discover  nothing  amiss  in  your  temper  and  prac- 
tice? Do  they  in  all  points  agree  with  the  rule  of  God's 
word?  Dare  any  of  you  appeal  to  the  justice  of  God  for 
acquittal?  and  claim  happiness  as  the  due  reward  of 
your  obedience?  Say,  O  man!  hast  thou  no  need  at  all 
of  pardoning  mercy?  Wilt  thou  give  it  under  thy  hand, 
that  thou  shalt  never  plead  the  merits  of  a  Saviour  for 
thy  justilicalion?  that  at  the  hour  of  death,  or  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  thou  shalt  never  once  implore  his  help,  nor 
cry  for  mercy,  but  stand  upon  the  foundation  of  thy  per- 
sonal righteousness  before  his  impartial  tribunal?  Or  ra- 
ther, my  brethren,  are  you  not  conscious  of  innumerable 
instances  of  guilt,  wherein  you  have  acted  in  direct  op- 
position, not  only  to  the  written  law,  but  to  the  inward 
sense  and  authority  of  your  own  minds  ;  doing  what  ye 
knew  was  displeasing  to  God  :  and  that,  not  by  the  mere 
force  of  sudden  temptation,  but  coolly  and  deliberately, 
in  the  face  of  those  arguments  which  ought,  in  all  rea- 
son  to  have  restrained  you  from  them?  I  think  I  may 
venture  to  affirm,  that  there  is  not  one  person  here  pre- 
sent who  is  not  able  to  recollect  several  instances  of  this 
kind ;  and  if  our  own  blind  and  partial  hearts  do  now 
condemn  us,  alas!  how  shall  we  justify  ourselves  at  the 
bar  of  that  God  "  who  is  greater  than  our  hearts,  and 
knoweth  all  things?"   This  leads  me  to  observe,  in  the 

Third  place.  That  one  great  end  of  the  law  is,  to 
humble  the  pride  of  men ;  that,  from  a  conviction  of  their 
guilty  and  miserable  estate  by  nature,  they  may,  as  it 
were,  be  compelled,  by  a  happy  necessity,  to  flee  for  re- 
lief to  the  gospel  method  of  salvation  through  Christ. 

This  important  truth  is  directly  asserted  by  the  apos- 
tle, in  my  text,  and  frequently  repeated  in  other  parts 


lOS  SERMON  VI. 

of  his  writings.  Nay,  the  principal  scope  of  this  epistle 
is,  to  call  off  the  Jews  from  any  dependance  upon  their 
own  righteousness,  by  giving  them  a  fair  representation 
of  the  spirituality,  extent,  and  rigour  of  the  law;  that, 
finding  themselves  unable  either  to  answer  its  demands, 
or  to  endure  its  curse,  they  might  thankfully  embrace 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  indeed  ^"  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth."  And 
the  subserviency  of  the  law  to  the  gospel,  or  the  use  of 
the  law  to  lead  men  to  the  Saviour,  will  evidently  ap- 
pear, if  we  consider. 

That  the  law  demands  nothing  less  than  a  perfect, 
unsinning  obedience  to  all  its  precepts.  It  makes  no 
manner  of  allowance  for  the  infirmities  of  men;  for 
*'  whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend 
in  one  point,"  in  the  eye  of  the  Lawgiver,  ^'  is  guilty  of 
all.''  It  declares  what  is  due  to  God  by  his  creatures, 
and  insists  upon  the  payment  of  it  even  to  the  uttermost 
farthing.  In  the  law,  strictly  considered,  there  is  no  pro- 
vision or  promise  of  pardon  to  the  guilty;  on  the  contra- 
ry, it  denounces  condemnation  and  wrath  against  all 
transgressors  of  what  kind  soever;  for  thus  it  is  written, 
"  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things 
which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
It  is  not  enough  to  do  some  things  which  are  command- 
ed; we  must  do  them  all:  nor  is  it  even  sufficient  that  we 
do  all  things  for  a  season ;  we  must  also  continue  in 
them,  otherwise  we  forfeit  the  divine  friendship,  and  be- 
come liable  to  the  wrath  of  an  infinitely  just  and  omni- 
potent God.  This  is  the  genuine  voice  of  the  law,  "  Do 
(ind  live;^'  "  but  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  surely  die." 
It  knoweth  no  middle  sentence  between  these  two;  it 
doth  not  whisper  one  word  of  mercy;  but  the  smallest 
deviation  subjects  the  transgressor  to  the  justice  of  God, 


SERMON  YI.  109 

and  to  all  the  fatal  eftects  of  his  indigualion,  both  in  this 
life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

Now,  this  being  the  case,  it  is  easy  to  discern  the  sub- 
serviency of  the  law  to  the  gospel ;  or,  in  other  words, 
the  use  of  the  law  to  lead  men  to  the  Saviour.  The  law 
discovers  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  demands  an  unsin- 
ning  obedience.  None  of  us  can  plead  innocence,  and 
the  law  admits  of  no  excuse  for  guilt;  nay,  it  is  not  on- 
ly silent  as  to  the  doctrine  of  forgiveness,  which  might 
leave  some  room  for  conjecture  and  hope,  but  in  plain 
and  awful  words  pronounces  the  sentence  of  death,  and 
dooms  to  irremediable  punishment  all  the  workers  of  in- 
iquity without  exception.  Thus  the  sinner  is  ^^  bound 
hand  and  foot,''  as  it  were,  "  and  cast  into  prison  ;"  his 
mouth  is  stopped,  and  nothing  remains  for  him  but  ei- 
ther to  continue  in  misery,  and  bear  the  curse  of  God 
for  ever;  or  else  to  appeal  from  the  law  to  the  gos[)el, 
and  to  claim  the  benefit  of  that  indemnity  which  Christ 
hath  purchased  with  his  blood,  and  freely  offers  to  all 
who,  condemning  themselves,  and  renouncing  their  own 
righteousness,  flee  to  him  as  their  hope  and  city  of  re- 
fuge. From  all  which  we  may  conclude,  in  the 

Fourth  and  last  place.  That  every  apologizing  sinner 
who  opens  his  mouth  in  his  own  vindication,  doth  impi- 
ously give  God  the  lie,  and  exclude  himself  from  the  of- 
fers of  his  mercy  and  grace ;  whereas  the  humble,  self- 
condemning  sinner  lies,  so  to  speak,  in  the  very  road  of 
mercy,  and  shall,  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  obtain 
salvation  with  eternal  glory. 

This  inference  is  so  just  and  obvious,  that  it  scarcely 
needs  any  illustration.  For  if  "  all  are  sinners,*'  and  if 
this  be  one  great  end  of  the  law,  to  bring  men  to  a  sense 
and  acknowledgment  of  their  guilt,  that  they  may  be 
compelled  to  flee  to  Christ  Jesus  for  relief;  what  fool- 


110  SERMON  YI. 

ish,  self-destroying  creatures  must  those  be,  who,  in  de-  W 
spite  of  the  clearest  evidence,  and  in  flat  contradiction 
to  the  only  method  of  deliverance  and  hope,  will  offer 
to  babble  in  their  own  defence?  What  can  you  propose 
by  this  conduct,  O  sinners !  God  puts  it  to  your  choice, 
as  it  were,  at  what  court  you  would  be  tried,  whether 
you  will  plead  at  the  tribunal  of  justice  or  of  mercy?  If 
you  penitently  acknowledge  your  guilt,  and  cry  for  mer- 
cy throui^h  the  great  Mediator,  he  is  infinitely  more  wil- 
ling to  bestovir  it  upon  you,  than  you  can  be  to  ask  it  of 
him;  but  if  you  proudly  insist  in  your  own  vindication; 
if  you  extenuate  your  guilt,  or  depend  upon  any  thing 
in  yourselves  for  pardon  and  acceptance,  you  thereby 
incur  the  rigour  of  the  law  ;  you  "  shall  have  judgment 
without  mercy,"  and  "  Jesus  Christ  can  profit  you  no- 
thing." 

Be  persuaded,  then,  my  dear  friends,  as  the  proper 
improvement  of  all  that  has  been  said,  '^to  humble  your- 
selves presently  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  you 
may  be  exalted  in  due  time."  See  and  acknowledge  your 
guilt  and  unworthiness,  that  you  may  not  be  finally  con- 
demned with  the  world;  and  beg  of  God  that  he  may 
search  and  try  you,  and  make  you  thoroughly  acquaint- 
ed with  your  real  condition ;  that,  finding  yourselves 
"  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked,"  you  may  repair,  without  delay,  to  that  all-suifi- 
cient  Saviour,  "  whose  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin," 
and  "  wIjo  is  made  of  God,  unto  all  who  believe  on 
him,  wisdom  and  righteousness,  and  sanctitication,  and 
redemption." 

As  for  you  upon  whom  the  law  hath  already  had  its 
eifect,  who  are  weary  and  heavy  laden  with  tlie  burden 
of  sin,  be  not  discouraged;  the  seeds  of  consolation  are 
sown  in  your  grief;  this  weeping  night  shall  ere  long 


SERMON  VI.  Ill 

be  succeeded  by  a  joyful  morning;  and  "upon  you 
who"  thus  "  fear  his  name,  shall  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness" shortly  "arise  with  healing  in  his  wings;"  for 
this  gracious  temper  is  the  peculiar  work  of  the  Spirit 
of  God ;  it  is  he  who  brings  that  light  into  the  soul, 
whereby  its  natural  deformity  is  seen;  it  is  he  who 
casts  down  those  proud  imaginations  which  exalt  them- 
selves against  God,  and  hide  from  the  sinner  his  pover- 
ty and  wretchedness :  and  it  is  this  divine  Spirit,  who, 
by  the  ministry  of  the  law,  removes  those  false  grounds 
of  hope  upon  which  the  sinner  was  accustomed  to  lean, 
and  obligelh  him  to  ask  that  interesting  question,  "What 
shall  I  do  to  he  saved?''  As  John  Baptist  prepared  the 
way  for  Christ's  public  appearance,  by  rousing  the  world 
with  the  doctrine  of  repentance;  in  like  manner,  the  Ho- 
ly Spirit  prepares  the  heart  for  the  reception  of  the  same 
glorious  Redeemer,  by  such  painful  and  humbling  con- 
victions, as  to  render  him  both  necessary  and  desirable 
to  the  soul :  And  therefore  it  ought  to  be  matter  of  joy 
and  thankfulness  to  the  sinner,  when  God  smites  his 
heart  with  a  sense  of  sin ;  of  such  sickness,  it  may  be 
truly  said,  "  This  sickness  is  not  unto  death,  but  for 
the  glory  of  God."  Hereby,  as  it  were,  he  dislodges 
his  enemies,  and  empties  the  soul  of  every  other  guest, 
that  he  may  come  and  fill  it  with  his  own  gracious  pre- 
sence." 

Lift  up  your  heads,  then,  O  trembling  sinners !  look 
forward  but  a  very  little  way,  and  you  may  see  to  the 
end  of  that  dark  valley  through  which  you  are  now  pass- 
ing. This  road  became  necessary  after  man's  apostacy; 
and  it  is  the  kindness,  not  the  anger,  of  your  heavenly 
Father,  that  hath  brought  you  into  it.  Had  your  destruc- 
tion been  pleasing  to  him,  he  would  have  suffered  you 
to  walk,  without  disturbance,  in  the  broad  way  that 


112  SERMON  VI. 

leads  to  ilestruction :  but  by  alarming  your  fears,  he 
plainly  intends  to  prevent  your  ruin;  and  the  present 
taste  he  hath  given  you  of  the  bitterness  of  sin,  is  gra- 
ciously meant  to  divorce  your  hearts  from  the  love  of  it, 
and  to  render  the  remedy  which  he  offers,  more  welcome 
and  precious  in  your  esteem. — For,  let  it  be  observed, 
as  a  further  ground  of  encouragement,  that  the  gospel- 
call  is  particularly  addressed  to  persons  of  tiiis  cliarac- 
ter :  ^'  Come  unto  me,"  says  the  blessed  Jesus,  "  all  ye 
that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.''  And  herein  he  exactly  fulfils  the  appointment  of 
Iiis  Father,  and  acts  in  the  most  perfect  conformity  to 
the  commission  he  received  from  him;  of  which  we  have 
a  fair  copy,  (Isaiah  Ixi.  at  the  beginning:)  ^'' The  Spir- 
it of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  meek;  he 
hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim 
liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to 
them  that  are  bound/'  From  this  passage  it  plainly  ap- 
pears,  that  humble,  convinced  souls  are  liis  peculiar 
charge :  he  is  the  physician,  not  of  the  whole,  but  of  the 
sick ;  not  of  those  that  justify  themselves,  but  of  those 
who  are  perishing  in  their  own  apprehension,  who  feel 
their  need  of  him,  and  know  something  of  the  worth  of 
that  salvation  which  he  brings. 

Let  every  humble  sinner,  then,  take  comfort  from 
these  considerations.  God  knoweth  the  penitent  relent- 
ings  of  your  hearts:  Behold,  he  stands,  like  the  father 
in  the  parable,  stretching  forth  his  arms  to  every  prodi- 
gal son !  he  registers  all  your  groans,  "  he  putteth  your 
tears  into  his  bottle,"  and,  ere  long,  "  he  will  give  you 
the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  garment  of  praise 
for  your  present  spirit  of  heaviness.'*  In  the  mean  time, 


SERMON  VI.  113 

let  me  recommentl  to  you  the  following  tlirections,  witli 
which  I  shall  conclude. 

Beware  of  smothering  or  quenching  your  convictions. 
I  admit  they  are  bitter,  but  they  are  also  medicinal;  and< 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  shall  issue  in  that  repentance 
unto  salvation,  which  is  not  to  be  repented  of:  whereas, 
if  you  stifle  them  at  present,  your  hearts  may  contract  a 
hardness  and  insensibility,  which,  if  ever  it  be  cured  at 
all,  shall  cost  you  more  pain  and  anguish  than  you  pre- 
sently feel,  or  indeed  easily  imagine. 

At  the  same  time,  beware  of  drawing  desperate  con- 
clusions against  yourselves  from  the  discoveries  you 
have  got  of  your  guilt  and  danger.  I  may  justly  say  to 
you,  what  the  apostle  said  in  another  case, — ''  Mourn 
not  like  those  who  have  no  hope."  Your  case,  bad  as  it 
may  seem,  is  certainly  better  than  once  it  was.  Former- 
ly you  were  out  of  the  way  of  mercy,  now  you  have  got 
into  that  very  path  where  mercy  meets  the  elect  of  God : 
It  was  then  your  sin  to  presume  beyond  any  promise; 
beware  now  of  despairing  against  many  commands;  but 
amidst  all  your  fears  and  anxieties,  slill  endeavour  to 
keep  hope  alive  in  your  hearts. 

Especially  hasten  to  the  Saviour,  who  alone  can  give 
you  rest.  This  is  the  great  errand  upon  which  convic- 
tions are  sent;  for,  as  I  have  already  observed,  "the 
law  is  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ, — who  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth.*' — Doth  the  Lord  Jesus  appear  precious  to  your 
souls?  do  you  see  your  absolute  need  of  him,  and  his 
perfect  suitableness  to  your  circumstances?  0,  then, 
speedily  have  recourse  to  him,  and  receive  him  thank- 
fully as  the  "  unspeakable  gift  of  God  to  men!"  Em- 
brace him  cordially  in  all  the  important  characters  he 
sustains,  as  the  Prophet,  the  Priest,  and  the  King,  of 

V©fc.  T.  N 


114,  SERMON  VII, 

his  Church;  and  then  shall  you  find,  to  your  present 
comfort,  and  your  everlasting  joy,  that  he  is  both  "  able 
and  willing  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  all  who  come  unto 
God  by  him.''  Amen. 


This,  and  the  four  Sermons  that  immediately  follow,  were  preach- 
ed at  the  celebration  of  our  Lord's  Supper. 

Matthew  xi.  28. 

Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden^ 
and  I  will  give  you  rest. 


XT  was  prophesied  of  our  Lord,  long  before  his  mani- 
festation in  the  flesh,  that  he  should  "  proclaim  liberty 
to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them 
that  are  bound  :"  And  lo !  here  he  doth  it  in  the  kindest 
/  and  most  endearing  manner,  oifering  rest,  or  spiritual 
relief,  to  every  labouring  and  heavy  laden  sinner.  Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest. 

In  discoursing  from  whicli  words,  I  propose,  in  de- 
pendance  upon  divine  aid. 

First.  To  open  the  character  of  tliosc  to  whom  the 
invitation  is  addressed : 

Secondly.  To  explain  the  invitation  itself,  and  show 
what  is  included  in  coming  to  Christ:  After  which,  I 
shall  endeavour,  in  the 


SERMON"*  VII.  115 

Third  place,  To  illustrate  the  gracious  condescending 
promise  with  which  our  Lord  enforces  the  call :  /  will 
give  you  rest. 

I  BEGIN  with  the  character  of  those  to  whom  the  in- 
vitation is  addressed.  They  are  such,  you  see,  as  labour') 
and  are  heavy  laden;  that  is,  who  feel  the  unsupporta-<. 
ble  load  of  guilt,  and  the  galling  ffiters  of  corrupt  af-'' 
fections,  and  earnestly  long  to  he  delivered  from  hoth ; 
for  these  were  the  persons  whom  our  Saviour  always  re- 
garded as  the  peculiar  objects  of  his  attention  and  care. 
By  our  fatal  apostacy,  we  forfeited  at  once  our  innocence 
and  happiness;  we  became  doubly  miserable,  liable  to 
the  justice  of  God,  and  slaves  to  Satan  and  our  own  cor- 
ruptions. But  few,  comparatively  speaking,  are  sensible 
of  this  misery !  The  bulk  of  mankind  are  so  hot  in  the 
pursuit  of  perishing  trifles,  that  tliey  can  find  no  leisure 
geriouhly  to  examine  their  spiritual  condition.  These  in- 
deed have  a  load  upon  them,  of  weight  more  than  suf- 
ficient to  sink  them  into  perdition;  but  they  are  not 
heavy  laden  in  the  sense  of  my  text.  Our  Saviour  plainly 
speaks  to  those  who  feel  their  burden,  and  are  groan- 
ing under  it;  otherwise  the  promise  of  rest,  or  deliver- 
ance, could  be  no  inducement  to  bring  them  to  him. 
And  the  call  is  particularly  addressed  to  such,  for  two 
obvious  reasons  : 

First.  Because  our  Lord  knew  well  that  none  else 
would  comply  with  it.  ^'  The  full  soul  loathes  the  ho- 
ney-comb." Such  is  the  pride  of  our  hearts,  that  each 
of  us  would  wish  to  be  a  saviour  to  himself,  and  to  pur- 
chase heaven  by  his  own  personal  merit.  This  was  the 
*^  rock  of  oifence"  upon  which  the  Jews  stumbled  and 
fell :  they  could  not  bear  the  thought  of  being  indebted 
to  the  righteousness  of  another  for  pardon  and  accep- 
tance with  God;  for  so  the  apostle  testifies  concerning 


lltJ  SERMON  VII. 

theni;  (Horn.  x.  3.)  "  Being  ignorant  of  God's  righte- 
ousness, tliey  went  about  to  establish  their  own  righte- 
ousness, and  did  not  submit  themselves  unto  the  righte- 
ousness of  God."  And  still  this  method  of  justifying  sin- 
ners is  opposed  and  rejected  by  every  *''  natural  man." 
He  feels  not  his  disease,  and  therefore  treats  the  physi- 
cian with  contempt  and  scorn :  whereas  the  soul  that  is 
enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  its  guilt  and  pollution,  lies  prostrate  before  the 
mercy- seat,  crying  out  with  Paul  when  struck  to  the 
ground,  *"  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  do?"  It  was 
therefore  with  peculiar  signiiicancy,  that  our  Lord  intro- 
duced  his  sermon  upon  the  mount,  by  adjudging  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  to  the  "  poor  in  spirit,"  placing  hu- 
mility in  the  front  of  all  the  other  graces,  as  being  the 
entrance  into  a  religious  temper,  the  beginning  of  the  di- 
vine life,  the  first  step  of  the  soul  in  its  return  to  God. 

2dly.  The  labouring  and  heavy  laden  are  particularly 
distinguished  ;  because  otherwise,  persons  in  that  situa- 
tion, hopeless  of  relief,  might  be  in  danger  of  excluding 
themselves  from  the  offer  of  mercy.  If  there  was  only  a 
general  call  to  come  to  the  Saviour,  the  humble  convin- 
ced soul,  pressed  down  with  a  sense  of  its  guilt  and  de- 
pravity, might  be  ready  to  object.  Surely  it  cannot  be 
such  a  worthless  and  wicked  creature  as  I  am,  to  whom 
the  Lord  directs  his  invitation.  And  therefore,  he  '^  who 
will  not  break  the  bruised  reed,  nor  quench  the  smok- 
ing flax,"  doth  kindly  encourage  them,  by  this  special 
address,  that  the  very  thing  which  to  themselves  would 
appear  the  greatest  obstacle  in  the  way  of  mercy,  might 
become  the  means  of  assuring  them,  that  they  are  the 
very  persons  for  whom  mercy  is  prepared. 

Let  this  then  encourage  every  weary,  self-condemn, 
ijng  siuner :  The  greater  your  guilt  appears  in  your  owu 


SERMON  Vn.  117 

eye,  the  greater  ground  you  have  to  expect  relief  if  you 
apply  for  it.  Mercy  looks  for  nothing  but  an  affecting 
sense  of  the  need  of  mercy.  Say  not.  If  my  burden  were 
of  a  lesser  weight,  I  might  hope  to  be  delivered  from  it; 
for  no  burden  is  too  heavy  for  Omnipotence:  he  who  is 
^*  mighty  to  save,"  can  easily  remove  the  most  oppres- 
sive load;  "Miis  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin,"  and  •*  by 
him  all  who  believe  are  justified  from  all  things."  This 
great  physician  did  not  come  to  heal  some  slight  distem- 
pers, but  to  cure  those  inveterate  plagues,  which  none 
besides  himself  was  able  to  cure.  Whatever  your  dis- 
ease be,  it  shall  neither  reproach  his  skill  nor  his  pow- 
er; and  all  that  he  requires  on  your  part,  is  a  submis- 
sive temper  to  use  the  means  he  prescribes,  with  a  firm 
reliance  upon  their  virtue  and  efficacy.  If  you  are  truly 
convinced  that  your  guilt  is  so  great,  and  your  corrup- 
tions so  strong,  that  none  in  heaven  or  on  earth  can  save 
you  from  them  but  Christ  alone;  if  you  are  groaning  un- 
der the  burden  of  sin,  and  can  find  no  rest  till  pardon- 
ing mercy  and  sanctifying  grace  bring  you  relief;  then 
are  you  in  the  very  posture  which  my  text  describes; 
and  I  may  warrantably  say  unto  you  what  Martha  said 
to  Mary,  "  Arise  quickly,  the  Master  is  come,  and  call- 
eth  for  thee."  And  this  is  his  call,  Come  unto  me. 
Which  is  the 

Second  thing  I  proposed  to  explain.  Now,  for  un- 
derstanding this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  remind  you  of 
the  different  characters  which  our  Lord  sustains;  or,  in 
other  words,  the  important  offices  which  he  executes  as 
our  Redeemer.  These,  you  know,  are  three,  to  wit,  the 
offices  of  a  Prophet,  of  a  Priest,  and  of  a  King;  in  each 
of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  must  be  distinctly  regarded  by 
every  soul  that  comes  to  him.  Accordingly,  you  may  ob- 
serve, that  in  this  gracious  iuvitation^  he  exhibits  himself 


i^iS  SERMON  VII, 

to  our  view  in  all  these  characters ;  for  to  the  condescend- 
iogofl'er  of  removing  our  guilt,  he  immediately  annexes 
the  command,  **  Take  my  yoke  upon  you^  and  learn  of 
me." 

Such  is  our  misery  by  the  fall,  that  we  are  not  only 
become  the  objects  of  God^s  righteous  displeasure,  and 
liable  to  that  awful  punishment  which  was  the  penalty 
of  the  first  covenant,  but  our  nature  is  wholly  diseased 
and  corrupted;  so  that  in  us,  in  our  flesh,  dwelleth  no 
good  thing.'*  Our  understanding  is  darkened,  filled  with 
prejudices  against  the  truth,  and  incapable  of  discerning 
spiritual  objects :  ^'  For  the  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  foolishness  to 
him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spir- 
itually discerned."  Our  will  is  stubborn  and  rebellious, 
like  '^  an  iron  sinew,"  which  no  force  can  bend ;  so  in- 
flexible in  its  opposition  to  the  divine  law,  that  it  is  call- 
ed in  Scripture  "  enmity  against  God:"  and  all  our  af- 
fections are  wild  and  ungovernable,  deaf  to  the  voice  of 
reason  and  conscience,  in  perpetual  discord  among  them- 
selves, and  wholly  alienated  from  God,  in  whom  alone 
they  should  unite  and  centre.  Such  a  Saviour,  therefore, 
was  necessary  for  our  relief,  as  could  efl'ectually  remedy 
all  those  evils,  and  not  only  redeem  us  from  wrath,  but 
likewise  prepare  us  for  happiness,  by  restoring  our  na- 
ture to  that  original  perfection  from  which  it  had  fallen. 

For  this  end,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  might  be 
in  all  respects  furnished  for  his  great  undertaking,  was 
solemnly  invested  by  his  heavenly  Father  with  each  of 
the  important  oflBces  I  have  named ;  that  our  understand- 
ing being  enlightened  by  his  divine  teaching,  and  our 
will  subdued  by  his  regal  power,  we  might  be  capable 
of  enjoying  the  fruits  of  that  pardon,  which,  as  our  great 
High  Piiesl,  he  hath  purchased  with  his  blood. — Now^ 


SERMON  Vn.  119 

in  all  these  characters,  the  Scriptures  propose  him  to 
our  faith;  and  we  do  not  comply  with  the  invitation  in 
my  text,  unless  we  come  to  him  for  the  proper  work  of 
each  office,  and  embrace  him  in  the  full  extent  of  his 
commission ;  that  "  of  God  he  may  be  made  unto  uSy 
wisdom,  and  righteonsness,  and  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption." 

It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  soul,  in  its  first  approach 
to  Christ,  doth  principally  regard  him  as  a  priest  or  a 
sacrifice ;  and  therefore  faith,  as  it  is  employed  for  justi- 
fication, or  pardon,  is  emphatically  styled  Faith  in  Ins 
blood.  To  this  God  looks  when  he  justifies  a  sinner;  he 
views  him  as  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  atonement; 
and  therefore,  to  the  same  blood  the  sinner  must  neces 
sarily  look  upon  his  first  application  to  Christ.  When 
the  criminal  under  the  law  fled  to  the  horns  of  the  altar, 
he  considered  the  temple  rather  as  a  place  of  protection 
than  of  worship. — The  authority  of  a  teacher,  and  the 
majesty  of  a  king,  are  objects  of  terror  to  a  self-condemn- 
ing sinner,  and  by  no  means  suit  his  present  necessity, 
Christ,  as  suffering,  and  "  bearing  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree,"  is  the  only  object  that  can  yield  him 
relief  and  comfort;  for  where  shall  he  find  the  rest  of  his 
soul,  but  where  God  found  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice? 

Nevertheless,  though  Christ  upon  the  cross  be  the 
first  and  most  immediate  object  of  faith,  yet  the  believer 
doth  not  stop  there;  but  having  discovered  a  sufficient 
atonement  for  his  guilt,  he  proceeds  to  contemplate  the 
other  characters  of  his  Redeemer,  and  heartily  approves 
of  them  all  as  perfectly  adapted  to  all  his  necessities. 
He  hearkens  to  his  instruction,  and  cheerfully  submits 
to  his  yoke,  and  covets  nothing  so  much  as  to  be  taught 
and  governed  by  him.  The  ingenuity  of  faith  spcaketh 
after  this  manner :   Seeing  Christ  is  my  Priest  to  expi- 


120  SERMON  VII. 

ate  ray  guilt,  it  is  but  just  and  reasonable  that  he  should 
be  ray  Prophet  to  teach  rae,  and  ray  King  to  rule  over 
rae ;  that  as  I  live  by  his  merits,  I  should  also  walk  by 
his  law. 

0  blessed  Jesus!  said  the  soul  that  comes  to  him^ 
thou  true  and  living  way  to  the  Father!  1  adore  thy 
condescending  grace,  in  becoming  a  sacrifice  and  sin-of- 
fering for  me:  and  now,  encouraged  by  tliy  kind  invi- 
tation, I  flee  to  thee  as  my  only  city  ot"  refuge;  I  come 
to  thee  "  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked :''  1  have  no  price  to  offer  thee,  no  goodness 
at  all  to  reeommend  rae  to  thy  favour :  labouring  and 
heavy  laden,  I  cast  myself  at  thy  feet,  and  look  to  thy 
free  mercy  alone  for  the  removal  of  this  burden,  which, 
without  thy  interposition,  must  sink  me  down  to  the  low^- 
est  hell,  xibhorring  myself  in  every  view  I  can  take,  I 
embrace  thee  for  my  righteousness  ;  sprinkled  with  thine 
atoning  blood,  I  shall  not  fear  the  destroying  angel : 
Justice  hath  already  had  its  triumph  on  thy  cross  ;  and 
therefore  I  take  thy  cross  for  ray  sanctuary.  This  is  my 
rest ;  and  here  will  I  stay,  for  I  like  it  well. 

Nor  is  this  my  only  errand  to  thee,  O  thou  complete 
Saviour  !  I  bring  to  thee  a  dark  benighted  mind  to  be 
illuminated  with  saving  knowledge.  "  Thou  hast  the 
words  of  eternal  life;"  "  in  thee  are  hid  all  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  :"  I  therefore  resign  my  understanding  to 
thy  teaching;  for  "  no  man  knoweth  the  father  but 
the  Son,  and  tiiose  to  whom  the  Son  shall  reveal  him." 

1  likewise  choose  thee  for  my  Lord  and  my  King ; 
for  thou  ^'  art  altogether  lovely,"  and  in  every  charac- 
ter necessary  to  ray  soul.  Here  are  enemies  whom  none 
can  vanquish  but  thyself;  here  are  corruptions,  which 
nothing  less  than  all  conquering  grace  can  subdue:  I 
therefore  implore  thine  almighty  aid.  Do  thou  possess 


SERMON  VII.  lai 

the  throne  in  my  heart,  and  cast  out  of  it  whatever  op- 
poseth  or  offendeth  thee.  It  is  thine  already  by  pur- 
chase; O  make  it  thine  also  by  conquest!  and  perform 
the  whole  work  of  a  Saviour  upon  it. 

After  this  manner  doth  the  believer  address  himself 
to  Christ;  and  thus  doth  he  answer  the  call  to  come  unto 
Mm.  From  all  which  we  may  learn  our  duty  in  this  mat- 
ter. Let  every  labouring  and  heavy  laden  sinner,  who 
hears  me  this  day,  speedily  betake  himself  to  the  same 
happy  course ;  plead  his  own  call,  and  humbly  claim  his 
gracious  protection;  flee  without  delay  to  his  atoning 
blood,  and  cleave  to  him  as  t!ie  Lord  your  "  righteous- 
ness and  your  strength."  I  shall  afterwards  represent  to 
you  those  sure  grounds  of  hope  which  may  encourage 
you  to  do  this:  In  the  mean  time,  let  us  consider 

The  gracious  promise  with  which  our  Lord  enforces 
the  invitation  :  /  will  give  you  rest.  This  was  the 

Third  thing  I  proposed  to  illustrate. 

There  can  be  no  douI)t  that  the  rest  here  spoken  of 
must  be,  at  least,\  of  equal  extent  with  the  burthen,  and 
include  a  deliverance  from  every  cause  of  trouble  to  the 
soul.  But  this  subject  is  an  ocean  without  bottom  or 
shore ;  w^e  cannot  measure  the  length  or  breadth  of  it, 
neither  can  its  depth  be  fathomed ;  for  "  the  riches  of 
Christ  are  unsearchable;"  and  surely  no  tongue  can  ex- 
press what  the  mind  itself  is  unable  to  comprehend.  Ne- 
vertheless,  I  shall  attempt  to  say  a  few  tilings  which 
may  be  of  use  to  help  forward  your  comfort  and  joy, 
till  eternity  shall  unfold  tlie  wliole  to  your  view. 

Doth  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  tiie  curse  of  the  law,  lie 
heavy  upon  thy  soul?  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  In  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  there  is  an  iufiuite  merit  that  can  never  be  ex- 
hausted. He  hath  satisfied  the  most  extensive  demands 

VOL.  r.  o 


i22  SERMON  VII. 

of  justice,  and  purchased  a  full  and  everlasting  indemni- 
ty to  every  penitent  and  believing  sinner :  so  that  "  now 
there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus.''  No  sooner  doth  a  soul  come  to  him  in  the  man- 
ner I  daecribed,  than  it  ''  passeth  from  death  to  life." 
He  spreads  his  righteousness  over  it,  and,  under  that 
covering,  presents  it  to  his  heavenly  Father;  from  that 
happy  moment  it  is  no  longer  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace ;  "  For  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  by  his  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  And  what 
a  plentiful  source  of  consolation  is  this!  Well  may  the 
sinner  *'  be  of  good  cheer,"  to  whom  Christ  hath  said, 
^'  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  Do  you  feel  a  law  in 
your  members  warring  against  the  law  of  your  mind? 
Are  you  harassed  with  temptations,  and  so  environed 
with  *'  a  body  of  death,"  that  you  are  made  to  cry  out, 
as  Paul  once  did,  "  O  wretched  man,  who  shall  deliver 
me!"  Look  up  to  that  Prince  and  Saviour,  whom  God 
liath  exalted,  not  only  to  give  remission  of  sins,  but  like- 
wise to  bestow  repentance  upon  his  people,  and  grace 
to  help  them  in  every  time  of  need.  Christ  hath  obtain- 
ed the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whose  almighty  aid  the  Christian 
can  do  all  things.  He  will  plant  that  immortal  seed  in 
your  hearts,  which  shall  gradually  kill  the  weeds  of  cor- 
ruption: so  that,  according  to  his  faithful  word  of  pro- 
mise, though  sin  may  lodge  and  fight  within  you,  yet  it 
shall  not  be  able  to  get  "dominion  over  you." 

Do  you  fear  that  some  unforeseen  cause  may  provoke 
him  to  forsake  you,  to  withdraw  his  love,  and  the  com- 
munications of  his  grace?  Know  that  "the  gifts  and 
callings  of  God  are  without  repentance."  Christ  is  the 
"good  shepherd,  who  carries  the  lambs  in  his  bosom;" 
and  therefore  they  cannot  perish,  because  none  is  strong 
enough  to  pluck  them  out  of  his  hand.  The  believer  is 


SERMON  VII.  123 

not  left  to  stand  by  himself;  lie  who  is  the  author,  is 
likewise  the  finisher  of  his  peopli^'s  faith.  Omnipotence 
is  their  guardian ;  and  they  are  "  kept,"  not  by  their 
own  strength,  but  "  by  the  power  of  God,  tlirough  faitli 
unto  salvation." 

These  three  are  surely  the  heaviest  burdens  with 
which  the  soul  of  man  can  be  oppressed  ;  and  you  see 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  able  to  remove  them  all.  There 
are  no  doubt,  many  other  causes  of  discouragement  to 
which  we  are  liable  so  long  as  we  sojourn  in  this  valley 
of  tears ;  but  as  none  of  them  are  equal  to  those  I  have 
already  named,  we  may  certainly  conclude,  that  he  who 
performs  the  greater  work,  can,  with  infinite  ease,  per- 
form the  lesser  also.  And  indeed,  if  I  might  stay  upon 
this  branch  of  the  subject,  it  would  be  no  difficult  tack 
to  show,  that  in  all  other  respects  believers  *'  are  com- 
plete in  Christ,"  and  may  by  faith  derive  from  him  what- 
ever is  necessary  either  for  their  safety  or  comfort  in  this 
world :  "  For  it  hath  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him 
should  all  fulness  dwell,"  as  it  is  written,  Coloss.  i.  10. 

But  if  we  would  behold  the  rest  here  spoken  of  in  its 
utmost  extent,  and  highest  perfection,  we  must  look 
above  us  to  that  heavenly  world,  fiom  which  sin,  and 
all  the  painful  effects  of  it,  arc  eternally  excluded. 
"  There  remaineth  a  rest,"  said  the  apostle,  "  for  the 
people  of  God."  Great  and  manifold  are  their  privi- 
leges even  in  this  world ;  but  beyond  all  these,  are  still 
more  glorious  and  enriching  blessings  that  await  them 
in  the  next,  which  our  "  ears  have  not  yet  heard,  neither 
can  our  hearts  conceive."  When  we  attempt  to  think  of 
that  exalted  happiness,  we  can  do  little  more  than  re- 
move  from  it  in  our  minds  all  those  afflicting  evils  and 
grounds  of  discouragement  which  we  presently  feel ; 
only  we  must  conclude,  that  whatever  the  parliculav  in- 


12^  SERMON  VII. 

gredieiits  are,  the  happiness  itself  must  be,  in  all  re- 
spects, worthy  of  its  glorious  Author,  and  proportioned 
to  the  infinite  price  that  was  paid  for  it.  Our  Lord  him- 
self calls  it  a  "  kingdom,"  nay,  a  ^^  kingdom  prepared 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world;''  and  the  apostle  Pe- 
ter hath  recorded  three  of  its  distinguishing  properties, 
(1  Peter  i.  4.)  where  he  styles  it  an  "  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away." 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  that  rest  which  Christ  will 
finally  bestow  upon  his  people.  They  shall  "  enter  into 
the  joy  of  their  Lord."  All  their  burdens  shall  drop 
with  their  natural  bodies;  none  of  them  can  pass  beyond 
the  grave.  Then  faith  and  hope  shall  become  sight  and 
enjoyment;  then  love  grown  perfect  shall  cast  out  fear; 
and  nothing  shall  remain  of  all  their  former  trials,  but 
the  grateful  remembrance  of  that  friendly  hand  which 
supported  them,  and  hath  at  lengh  crowned  their  "  light 
and  momentary  afflictions"  with  a  "  far  more  exceeding 
and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 

And  now,  in  the  review  of  all  that  has  been  said,  me- 
thinks  every  sinner  who  hears  me  sliould  be  ready  to 
answer  the  call  of  my  text  in  the  language  of  Peter, 
^^Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  but  unto  thee?  for  thou 
bast  the  words  of  eternal  life."  O  that  there  were  such 
hearts  in  us !  But  perhaps  some  humble  soul  may  say, 
Gladly  would  I  go  to  this  Saviour,  willingly  would  I 
throw  myself  at  his  feet  and  implore  his  protection;  but 
such,  alas!  is  my  vileness  and  uuworthiness,  so  long 
have  I  slighted  his  offers,  and  abused  his  grace,  that  I 
fear  this  call,  kind  as  it  is,  doth  not  extend  to  me:  my 
case  is  singularly  bad,  and  my  sins  have  been  aggra- 
vated to  such  a  degree,  that  my  desponding  heart  hath 
already  pronounced  the  sentence  of  condemnation;  and 
the  doom  appears  so  just,  so  righteous,  that  I  can  see 


SERMON  VII.  125 

k 
no  ground  to  hope  that  ever  it  shall  be  reversed.    For 

removing  this  obstacle,  which  seems  to  lie  in  the  way 

of  your  return  to  Christ,  let  me  beg  your  attention  to  the 

following  particulars. 

Consider  the  great  condescension  of  this  E-edeemer. 
While  he  was  upon  earth,  he  never  rejected  any  who 
souglit  relief  from  him ;  like  a  sanctuary  whose  gates 
stand  continually  open,  he  gave  free,  undebarred  access 
to  all,  insomuch  that  liis  enemies,  by  way  of  reproach, 
styled  him  the  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.  Neitlier 
did  our  Lord  disown  the  character ;  on  the  contrary,  he 
gloried  in  it,  and  proclaimed  it  openly  to  the  world  ;  de- 
claring, upon  all  proper  occasions,  "  that  he  was  come 
to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  For  this  end 
Le  assumed  our  nature;  for  this  end  he  suffered  and 
died ;  and  upon  the  same  benevolent  design,  he  is  now 
gone  up  to  heaven,  "  where  he  appears  in  the  presence 
of  God  for  us;" — "  that  if  any  man  sin,  he  may  have 
an  Advocate  with  the  Father"  to  solicit  his  pardon,  and 
to  plead  his  cause.  And  may  not  these  discoveries  of 
his  merciful  nature  expel  your  fears,  and  revive  your 
hope?  Has  he  in  a  manner  laid  aside  the  majesty  of  a 
sovereign,  and  put  on  the  mild  and  amiable  aspect  of  a 
tender-hearted,  sympathising  friend?  and  may  not  this 
by  itself  encourage  you  to  draw  near  to  him,  and  to 
claim  the  blessings  of  that  rest  he  hath  obtained  for  his 
people? 

But,  lo!  he  hath  prevented  you  even  in  this;  for  to  all 
the  proofs  of  his  good -will  to  men,  he  superadds  the  most 
warm  and  pressing  invitations,  to  come  to  him  for  relief 
from  all  their  burdens.  "  In  the  last  day,  the  great  day 
of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  If  a???/  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  me  and  drink.'"  ''  Behold,"  said  he  to 
the  degenerated  church  of  the  Laodiceans,  ^*  Behold,  I 


135  SERMON  VII. 

stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  If  any  man  will  hear  my 
voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me.''  And  in  the  concluding  chap' 
ter  of  the  Revelation,  it  is  written,  "  The  Spirit  and  the 
bride  say,  Come :  and  let  him  that  is  a-thirst,  come :  and 
whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  and  let  him  take  the  wa^ 
ter  of  life  freely."  So  that  you  see  my  text  is  not  a  sin- 
gular instance  of  condescension ;  the  Scriptures  are  re- 
plenished with  invitations  of  the  same  kind ;  and  they 
are  all  expressed  in  the  most  extensive  and  absolute 
terms,  on  purpose,  as  it  were,  to  obviate  every  possible 
objection,  and  to  remove  all  jealousy  from  the  most  de- 
sponding sinners,  who  might  otherwise  have  suspected 
that  the  call  did  not  reach  so  far  as  them. 

But  lest  the  oifer  of  a  Saviour,  when  viewed  as  a  priv- 
ilege, might  still  appear  in  the  eyes  of  some  a  privilege 
too  high  for  them  to  aspire  to,  therefore  it  hath  pleased 
the  Father  to  interpose  his  authority,  and  to  make  it  our 
duty  to  embrace  the  offer:  as  we  learn  from  that  re- 
markable passage,  (1  John  iii.  23.)  "This  is  the  com- 
inand  of  God,  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ."  So  that  faith  in  Christ  becomes  an 
act  of  obedience ;  the  law  of  the  Supreme  Governor  is 
the  sinner's  warrant  to  come  to  the  Saviour;  and  there- 
fore it  can  be  no  presumption  in  any,  however  guilty 
they  have  been,  to  flee  to  this  city  of  refuge,  seeing  he 
who  hath  appointed  it,  not  only  permits,  but  perempto- 
rily commands  them  to  repair  to  it. 

And  to  crown  all,  our  Lord  himself  hath  declared  in 
the  most  solemn  manner,  that  none  shall  be  rejected  who 
come  to  him  for  salvation.  These  are  his  words,  (John 
vi.  37.)  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  nowise  cast 
out."  I  will  receive  him  with  outstretched  arms ;  I  will 
tenderly  embrace  and  cherish  him,  and  so  unite  him  to 


SERMON  Vll.  iSy 

myself,  that  tlie  combined  force  of  earth  and  hell  shall 
never  be  able  to  dissolve  the  union,  or  to  separate  my 
soul  from  his  unchangeable  love. 

Lift  up  thy  head,  then,  O  labouring  and  heavy  laden 
sinner!  ponder,  with  due  attention,  those  grounds  of  en* 
couragement  I  have  briefly  suggested.  Doth  the  Father 
command  you  to  believe  on  his  son  ?  doth  the  Lord  Je- 
sus invite,  nay  intreat,  you  to  come  to  him,  and  at  the 
same  time  assure  you  that  "  he  will  in  nowise  cast  you 
out  ?"  and  shall  not  this  multiplied  security  remove  all 
your  doubts,  and  bring  you  to  him  with  a  humble,  but 
steadfast,  hope  of  obtaining  that  rest  which  he  oifers  un- 
to you  ?  Say  not  henceforth,  My  burden  is  so  heavy, 
and  my  guilt  so  great,  that  I  dare  not  go  to  him ;  but  ra- 
ther say.  My  burden  is  so  heavy,  that  I  must  go  to  him ; 
for  no  other  arm  can  remove  it  but  his  own.  He  offers 
you  his  help,  because  you  are  miserable ;  he  invites  you 
to  come  to  him,  not  because  you  deserve,  but  because 
you  need  his  aid.  Arise,  then,  O  sinners !  and  obey  his 
call:  cast  your  burden  upon  him  who  is  mighty  to  save ; 
yield  yourselves,  without  reserve,  to  this  faithful  Re- 
deemer, to  be  justified  by  his  blood,  and  sanctified  by 
his  Spirit;  ^'  take  his  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  him,'" 
and  then  you  shall  find  rest  to  your  souls. 

But  what  shall  I  say  to  those  who  have  never  as  yet 
felt  the  burden  of  sin?  Avho,  amidst  the  deepest  poverty 
and  wretchedness,  imagine  themselves  to  be  "  rich,  and 
increased  with  goods,  and  to  stand  in  need  of  nothing?** 
Alas !  my  friends,  what  can  we  do  for  such  ? — shall  I 
denounce  the  curses  of  a  broken  covenant  to  alarm  their 
fears? — sliall  I  publish  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  and  by 
these  persuade  them  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  In- 
deed, considerations  of  this  kind  seem  proper  and  ne^ 
cessary  to  rouse  them  from  that  deadly  sleep  into  which 


1^  SERMON  VII. 

they  are  cast.  And  believe  it,  O  sinners  !  that  no  repre- 
sentations of  this  sort,  however  awful  they  might  appear, 
could  exceed,  or  even  equal,  the  dreadful  reality;  "  for 
who  knoweth  the  power  of  God's  anger?'' 

But  as  my  text  breathes  nothing  but  love  and  clemen- 
cy, I  shall  rather,  upon  this  occasion,  "  beseech  you  by 
the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ,"  and  fetch  my 
arguments  from  the  endearing  condescensions  of  his  mer- 
cy and  grace. 

Know  then,  O  sinners !  that,  after  all  the  contempt 
you  have  thrown  upon  him,  he  is  still  willing  to  become 
your  Saviour.  Ungrateful  as  you  have  been,  he  once 
more  opens  his  arms,  and  invites  you  to  come  unto  him. 
He  sends  us  forth  this  day  to  call  after  you  in  his  name, 
and  to  intreat  you  in  his  stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 
Behold,  in  the  gospel-offer,  he  lays,  as  it  were,  his  cru- 
cified body  in  your  way,  to  stop  you  in  your  self-de- 
stroying course! — And  will  you  still  press  onward, 
"  and  trample  underfoot  the  Son  of  God!*'  Behold  bis 
blood,  like  a  mighty  river,  flows  between  you  and  the 
place  of  torment ! — And  will  you  force  your  passage  to 
the  everlasting  burnings  through  this  immense  ocean  of 
redeeming  love!  O  sinners,  think  of  this!  all  who  perish 
under  the  gospel,  must  carry  this  dreadful  aggravation 
along  with  them.  That  mercy  was  in  their  oflVr,  and 
they  would  not  accept  it ;  nay,  that  they  insulted  and 
abused  the  mercy  that  would  have  saved  them.  And 
'•  can  your  hearts  endure,  or  can  your  hands  be  strong, 
in  tlie  day  that  God  shall  deal  with  you"  for  this  con- 
tempt? For  the  Lord's  sake  open  your  eyes  in  time; 
look  upon  him  whom  you  have  pierced  by  your  sins, 
and  mourn.  I  address  you  as  the  angels  did  Lot,  when 
they  brought  him  forth  from  Sodom ;  "  Escape  for  thy 


,.jr^-^ 


iSERMON  VIII.  Igg 

life;  look  not  behind  thee,  neither  stay  thou  in  all  the 
plain  :"  "  Flee  to  the  Saviour,  lest  thou  be  consumed."* 
As  for  you  who  have  already  got  within  the  walls  of 
the  city  of  refuge,  I  have  one  request  to  make  to  you, 
with  which  I  shall  conclude. — Come  now  and  receive 
the  new  Testament  in  Christ's  blood  :  For  confirmins: 
your  faith,  and  increasing  your  joy,  he  hath  instituted 
this  >  isible  pledge  of  his  love,  this  external  seal  of  his 
gracious  covenant:  that,  by  the  elements  of  bread  and 
wine,  the  appointed  symbols,  of  bis  broken  body  and 
shed  blood,  he  might  invest  his  people  with  a  full  and 
unalterable  right  to  all  the  blessed  fruits  of  his  suf- 
ferings and  death.  And,  therefore,  as  you  have  come  to 
Christ  himself,  you  may  lawfully  consider  the  invitation 
in  my  text  as  your  warrant  and  call  to  come  to  his  holy 
table;  and  may  hope  to  find,  in  this  holy  sacrament, 
something  of  that  rest,  or  spiritual  relief,  which  he  is 
always  ready  to  dispense  to  those  who  feel  their  need  of 
it,  and  who  know  its  worth.  Amen. 


Zechariah  ix.  12. 

Turn  ye  to  the  strong  Jiold,  ye  prisoner  of  hope;  even 
to-day  do  I  declare  that  I  will  render  double  unto  thee. 


JlN  the  9th  verse  of  this  chapter  proclamation  is  made 
that  the  Messiah  is  at  hand;  and  the  church  is  called 
upon  to  go  forth  and  to  meet  him  witli  joy.  "  Rejoice 


VOL,  I. 


130  SERMON  VIIL 

greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Je- 
rusalem; behold,  thy  King  cometh   unto  thee."  And 
that  the  awe  of  his  majesty  might  be  no  bar  to  their  joy, 
they  are  told,  for  their  encouragement,  that  lie  comes 
in  such  a  form  of  condescension  and  grace,  as  serves 
rather  to  invite  than  forbid  their  approach  to  him :  For 
**  He  is  just,  and  having  salvation;  lowly,  and  riding 
upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass."  They 
are  further  assured,  in  the  10th  verse,  that  as  the  ensigns 
of  his  royalty  difler  so  widely  from  those  which  earthly 
mouarchs  use,  so  he  shall  govern  his  subjects,  and  sub- 
due his  enemies,  not  by  external  force,  but  by  inward 
persuasion ;  not  by  ^'  the  chariot,  the  horse,  and  the  bat- 
tle-bow," for  all  these  shall  be  "  cut  ofl';"  but  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  accompanied  with  the  powerful 
operation  of  his  Spirit,  which  is  emphatically  called 
*' speaking  peace  unto  the  heathen;"  in  consequence 
whereof,  ''  his  dominion  shall  extend  from  sea  to  sea, 
and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."  And 
to  finish  the  description  of  this  King  of  Zion,  it  is  added, 
in  the  llth  verse,  that  the  gracious  aim  of  his  govern- 
ment is  to  set  men  at  liberty  from  the  vilest  slavery,  and 
to  release  them  from  the  most  ignominious  confinement,. 
by  opening  their  prison  doors,  and  "  sending  them  forth 
out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water."    This  too  he  is  to 
perform  in  a  way  peculiarly  endearing:  he  is  to  pur- 
chase their  freedom  with  the  price  of  his  own  blood; 
which,  with  great  propriety,  is  styled  "  the  blood  of  the 
covenant,"  as  it  ratifies  and  confirms  that  covenant  of 
grace,  whereby  sinners  are  reinstated  in  the  favour  of 
God,  and  rescued  from  the  power  of  all  their  spiritual 
enemies. 

The  like  representation  is  given  of  the  Messiah,  (Isai- 
ah xlii.  6,  7.)  ••!  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteous- 


SERMON  VIII  131 

ness,  and  will  hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep  thee,  and 
give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the 
Gentiles;  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prison- 
ers from  the  prison,  and  tiiem  iliat  sit  in  darkness  out  of 
the  prison-house."  And  the  Messiah  himself  is  intro- 
duced, (Isaiah  Ixi.  at  the  beginning)  speaking  to  the 
same  purpose,  saying,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is 
upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach 
good  tidings  unto  the  meek,  he  hath  sent  rae  to  bind  up 
the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound." 

In  all  these  passages,  he  is  plainly  pointed  out  to  us 
in  the  character  of  a  Redeemer;  and  as  such,  be  issues 
forth  the  proclamation  in  my  text :  Turn  p^  to  the  strong 
hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope  ;  even  to-day  do  I  declare  that 
I  will  render  double  unto  thee. 

In  which  words  we  have  three  things  that  deserve 
our  notice. 

First.  A  description  of  the  persons  whom  he  comes 
to  redeem:  They  are  prisoners  of  hope. 

Second.  The  advice  or  command  addressed  to  them; 
Turn  ye  to  the  strong  hold.  And, 

Third.  A  gracious  and  encouraging  promise ;  Even 
to-day  do  I  declare  that  I  will  render  double  unto  thee. 

I  propose,  God  willing,  to  make  a  few  remarks  upon 
each  of  these  particulars,  and  to  conclude  with  an  im- 
provement suited  to  the  occasion  of  our  present  meeting. 

First.  The  persons  to  whom  the  command  is  address- 
ed are  called  jirisoners  of  hope. 

The  description,  you  see,  is  of  a  mixed  nature;  it  re- 
presents a  state  in  the  main  bad,  yet  not  so  wholly  bad 
as  to  be  past  recovery.  We  are  all  by  nature  in  a  state 
of  bondage,  condemned  by  the  righteous  sentence  of  the 
law,  and  slaves  to  Satan  and  our  own  corruptions.  By 


IS2  SERMON  VIII. 

our  apostacy  from  God  we  sunk  into  a  pit,  where  indeed 
^'  tliere  is  no  water:" — -Tliere  we  sit  '^  in  darkness,  and 
in  the  shadow  of  death/'  destitute  of  every  thing  that 
(jau  afford  real  peace  and  joy  to  the  soul.  But  though 
this  pit  doth  not  yield  any  water,  yet  water  may  be 
brought  into  it.  The  dew  of  divine  grace  may  descend 
upon  the  prisoners,  and  "  tlie  day-spring  from  on  higVi'^ 
may  visit  their  dark  abode,  and  guide  them  out  of  it  into 
the  way  of  peace  and  safety.  Hence  unconverted  sinners, 
though  'prisoners^  may  properly  be  called  prisoners  of 
hojie^  so  long  as  their  life  is  continued  upon  earth.  It  is 
true,  that  if  death  surprise  them  in  that  stale,  they  shall 
then  sink  lower  into  another  pit;  of  which  it  may  be 
said,  with  an^vvful  emphasis,  that  there — '■  there  is  no 
water;" — it  yields  none; — it  admits  of  none; — not  one 
drop  can  be  brought  into  it  to  cool  the  tongue.  But  so 
long  as  they  live,  their  case,  though  bad,  is  by  no  means 
hopeless ;  there  is  virtue  enough  in  ^'  the  blood  of  the 
covenant"  to  save  them;  and  though  they  are  advanced 
to  the  last  stage  of  impiety,  yet  even  there  Almighty 
grace  can  reach  them,  and  snatch  them  like  brands  out 
of  the  burning.  So  that  under  this  general  denomination 
0^ prisoners  of  hope,  every  man  or  woman  living  upon 
earth  is  spoken  to  in  my  text.  And  indeed  the  gospel- 
call  is  addressed  to  sinners  indefinitely :  "  Unto  you,  O 
men,  I  call,"  says  the  Saviour,  ''  and  my  voice  is  to  the 
sons  of  men." — "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  saved,  all  ye 
ends  of  the  earth."  None  are  excluded  from  the  offers 
of  mercy ;  he  invites  all  to  come  unto  him ;  and  him 
"  who  Cometh  lie  will  in  nowise  cast  out." 

But,  more  particularly,  the  description  seems  to  point 
at  those  who  feel  their  misery,  and  earnestly  look  and 
long  for  deliverance.  Many,  alas!  are  lying  in  the  pit 
of  an  unconverted  state,  without  any  sense  or  feeling  of 


SERMON  VIII.  133 

their  wo;  the  darkness  is  so  thick  around  them,  tliat  they 
see  not  the  fetters  by  which  they  are  bound. 

Now,  such  must  necessarily  put  away  from  them- 
selves every  offer  of  liberty,  saying,  in  the  scornful  lan- 
guage of  the  Pharisees,  "  We  be  Abraham's  seed,  and 
were  never  in  bondage  to  any  man;  how  sayest  thou 
then,  Ye  shall  be  made  free?"  I  therefore  reckon,  that 
sensible  sinners,  humble,  convinced  souls,  are  spoken 
to  for  their  encouragement  under  this  designation  oi jpri- 
soners  oflwpe,  not  only  to  distinguish  them  from  those 
who  are  gone  to  the  pit  where  there  is  no  hope,  but  even 
from  others,  who,  though  they  still  dwell  in  the  land  of 
hope,  yet,  in  some  respects,  may  be  reputed  in  a  hope- 
less condition;  because  their  pride  and  insensibility  put 
them  out  of  the  way  of  help  and  deliverance.  Whereas 
they  who  have  got  an  affecting  view  of  their  guilt  aud 
misery,  lie,  as  it  were,  in  the  very  road* of  mercy;  nay, 
the  more  painful  their  feelings  are,  the  greater  likeli- 
hood there  is  of  a  gracious  and  speedy  relief:  He  whose 
office  it  is  "  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  and  to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  the  captives,"  will  neither  deny  them 
his  aid,  nor  defer  their  relief  one  moment  beyond  the 
time  he  knows  to  be  best  for  them.  And  therefore  sin- 
ners of  tfts  sort  may,  with  peculiar  propriety,  be  called 
prisoners  of  hope;  because,  whatever  their  own  appre- 
hensions are,  Christ  certainly  looks  upon  them  as  his 
proper  charge,  and  invites  them  to  cast  all  their  burdens 
upon  himself,  in  these  sweet,  condescending  words, 
"  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  la- 
den, and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

By  prisoners  of  hope,  then,  we  may  understand,  more 
generally,  all  sinners,  without  exception,  who  are  within 
the  reach  of  divine  mercy ;  and  more  especially  those 


;t34  SERMON  YIII, 

who  arc  suing  for  mercy,  under  the  felt  burden  of  sin 
and  misery. 

But  I  add  further,  that  even  they  who  have  obtained 
mercy,  seem  likewise  to  be  included  in  the  description 
of  my  text.  The  connexion  of  this  with  tlie  preceding 
verse  leads  me  to  this  remark,  and,  I  apprehend,  lays  a 
solid  foundation  for  it;  for  the  persons  who  are  spoken 
to  in  this  verse,  are  evidently  the  same  who  are  spoken 
ofm  the  preceding  one;  and  yet  here  they  are  denomi- 
nated prisoners  of  hope,  though  just  before  it  was  said 
of  them,  ''  that  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant  they  were 
sent  forth  out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water;"  that  is, 
cleansed  from  their  guilt,  and  delivered  from  the  dark- 
ness and  misery  of  an  unconverted  stale. 

I  need  not  observe  to  you,  that  the  present  condition 
of  believers  upon  earth,  is  neither  a  state  of  perfect  li- 
berty, nor  of  uninterrupted  peace.  These  are  the  bless- 
ed ingredients  which  constitute  the  happiness  of  the  Zi- 
on  above;  but  whilst  tliey  sojourn  in  this  strange  land, 
they  are  liable  to  various  and  painful  distresses.  Even 
after  they  have  received  *'  the  Spirit  of  adoption,"  they 
may  feel  such  returns  of  '^  the  Spirit  of  bondage,"  as  shall 
oblige  them  to  cry  out  with  David,  "  My  spirit  is  over- 
whelmed within  me; — Attend  unto  my  cry,  O  God,  for 
I  am  brought  very  low : — Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison, 
that  I  may  praise  thy  name." 

The  remembrance  of  past  guilt,  the  present  feeling 
of  indwelling  corruption,  the  hidings  of  God's  face,  and 
the  assaults  and  buffetings  of  their  spiritual  enemies,  are 
all  so  many  different  prisons,  in  which  the  dearest  of 
God's  children  may  be  shut  up  for  a  season.  And  we 
find  some  of  them  recorded  in  holy  writ,  who,  during 
the  time  of  this  spiritual  confinement,  have  felt  such  ex- 
quisite agony,  that  with  diflBculty  they  have  been  kept 


SERMON  VIII.  135 

from  razing  the  foundation,  ami  quitting  all  hope.  Such 
was  the  case  of  xVsaph  when  he  thus  expressed  himself 
in  the  77th  Psalm,  "  I  leraembcred  God,  and  was  trou- 
bled— I  am  so  troubled  that  I  cannot  speak. — Will  the 
Lord  cast  off  forever?  will  he  be  favourable  no  more? 
Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  for  ever?  doth  his  promise  fail 
for  evermore?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  giticious?  hath 
he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies?''  And  how  dis- 
tressing must  we  suppose  the  case  of  Heman  to  have 
been,  when  it  drew  from  him  such  mournful  complaints 
as  these  :  "  My  soul  is  full  of  trouble,  and  my  life  draw- 
eth  nigh  unto  the  grave :  Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  low- 
est pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps :  Lord,  why  castest 
thou  off  my  soul?  why  hidest  thou  thy  face  from  me? 
I  am  afflicted,  and  ready  to  die  from  my  youth  up : 
while  I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted ;  thy  fierce 
wrath  goeth  over  me;  thy  terrors  have  cut  me  off.'' 

These  strong  examples  are  sufficient  to  prove,  that 
there  are  other  prisons  besides  the  pit  of  an  unconverted 
state:  Prisons  where  those  who  are  near  and  dear  to 
God,  may,  for  wise  and  holy  reasons,  suffer  a  tempora- 
ry confinement;  on  account  of  which  they  may  be  justly 
denominated  iirisoners  of  hope. 

And  if  so,  then  my  text  speaks  directly  to  every  soul 
in  this  assembly ;  and  the  advice  it  gives  to  each  of  you 
is  this : 

Turn  ye  to  the  strong  hold  ye  prisoners  of  hope.  And 
this  is  the 

Second  branch  of  the  subject,  which  I  am  now  to  con- 
sidcr. 

By  the  strong  hold  to  v/hich  we  are  exhorted  to  turn, 
is  undoubtedly  meant  ^'  the  blood  of  the  covenant,"  spo- 
ken of  in  the  preceding  verse ;  or  rather  the  new  covenant 
itself,  ratified  and  sealed  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 


136  SERMON  VIII. 

This  indeed  is  a  strong  hold,  an  impregnable  defence 
to  all  who  flee  to  it  for  refuge:  It  is  "an  everlasting 
covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure.'-  Here  an  ef- 
fectual supply  is  to  be  found  for  all  the  sinner's  wants 
and  necessities;  an  infinite  sacrifice  to  expiate  his  guilt; 
all-conquering  grace  to  subdue  his  corruptions ;  unerring 
wisdom  to  guide  him ;  irresistible  power  to  protect  him ; 
unbounded  goodness  to  relieve  his  present  needs,  and 
to  crown  him  with  glory  and  happiness  hereafter.  In 
short,  "  the  whole  fulness  of  the  Godhead"  is  treasured 
up  in  the  Mediator  of  this  covenant;  and  "  he  is  made 
of  God,"  unto  all  who  believe  on  him,  "  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctification  and  redemption." 

But  instead  of  enlarging  upon  the  description  of  this 
strong  hold,  1  reckon  it  of  greater  importance  to  explain 
the  advice  here  given  to  the  prisoners  ofhope,  which  is 
the  proper  work  and  duty  of  the  day:  Turn  ye  to  the 
strong  hold.  But  how  are  we  to  do  this? 

±st.  We  must  turn  our  back  upon  every  thing  else, 
and  abandon  all  other  means  of  deliverance  as  refuges 
of  lies,  w  hicli  will  miserably  disappoint  those  who  ex- 
pect relief  from  them.  Particularly  we  must  renounce 
our  own  righteousness,  and  plead  guilty  in  the  presence 
of  a  holy  God,  acknowledging,  that  we  must  stand  just- 
ly condemned  by  the  tenor  of  the  first  covenant,  and  are 
neither  able  of  ourselves  to  give  any  satisfaction  for  past 
ofi'ences,  nor  to  yield  an  acceptable  obedience  for  the 
future.  "  Tiiey  that  be  whole,"  said  our  blessed  Savi- 
our, "  need  no  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  The 
natural  pride  of  our  hearts  opposeth  our  seeking  aid 
from  any  thing  without  ourselves ;  nay,  such  is  our  dis- 
affection to  the  great  God,  that  even  when  aid  appears 
necessary,  we  would  rather  be  indebted  for  it  to  any 
other  than  to  him.  I  believe  I  may  venture  to  affirm,  that 


SERMON  VIII.  137 

the  gospel-sanctuary  is  alwaj's  the  sinner's  last  resort ; 
and  it  is  not  till  we  are  "  shut  up  unto  the  faith/'  as  the 
Apostle  expresseth  it,  that  is,  hedged  in  on  every  side 
by  an  absolute  despair  of  relief  from  any  creature,  that 
we  come  to  think  in  good  earnest  of  seeking  it  from 
Christ.  This  then  is  the  first  thing  implied  in  turning 
to  the  strong  hold,  that  we  turn  our  back  upon  every 
thing  else.  It  further  imports,  in  the 

^d  place,  That  we  turn  our  eyes  to  this  strong  hold^ 
and  narrowly  examine  the  security  it  affords. 

The  true  flight  of  a  soul  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is 
not  a  rash  and  precipitate  adventure,  but  the  result  of 
serious  and  mature  deliberation :  it  is  not  curiosity,  but 
pressing  necessity,  that  sets  the  soul  in  motion.  The 
awakened  sinner  sees  the  avenger  of  blood  ready  to 
seize  upon  him  ;  and  hearing  of  a  strong  hold,  erected 
by  infinite  wisdom  and  grace,  for  the  protection  and 
safety  of  persons  in  his  situation,  he  anxiously  inquires 
into  the  truth  of  this  report,  and  useth  every  means  in 
his  power  to  get  certain  information  of  it. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  an  essential  part  of  the  duty 
here  enjoined.  I  cannot  tell  you  of  what  importance  it 
is  to  get  clear  and  distinct  apprehensions  of  the  gospel- 
covenant,  that  strong  hold  pointed  out  to  us  in  my  text. 

We  should  not  only  endeavour  to  know  what  we  are 
allowed  to  expect  from  it,  but  likewise  to  see  the  firm- 
ness of  that  foundation  upon  which  our  faith  and  hope 
must  stand.  A  wavering  hope  may  balance  a  wavering 
apprehension  of  danger,  but  will  not  answer  the  neces- 
sities of  an  awakened  sinner.  But  when  we  come  to  sec 
that  this  strong  hold  is  built  upon  the  Hock  of  ages,  and 
supported  by  pillars  of  invincible  strength,  even  all  the 
perfections  of  an  unchangeable  God  ;  or,  to  drop  tlie  al- 
lusion,  when  we  sec  that  this  covenant,  which  promises 

VOL.   I.  Q 


138  SERMON  VIII. 

every  blessing  we  need,  is  a  sure,  a  permanent,  and  ir- 
revocable deed,  confirmed  by  the  oath  of  the  great  / 
AM,  and  sealed  with  the  blood  of  his  own  dear  Son, 
''  in  wbom  all  the  promises  are  yea  and  amen  :"  here  the 
soul  finds  sometliing  to  lean  upon  ;  its  anxious  fears  be- 
gin to  vanish ;  it  now  knows  with  certainty  where  re- 
lief is  to  be  found. 

Having  thus  discovered  the  stability  of  the  covenant^, 
and  that  it  is  in  all  respects  such  a  strong  hold  as  we 
need^  the 

Sd  and  principal  thing  required  is.  That  we  actually 
flee  to  it,  and  improve  it  for  all  the  purposes  for  which 
it  was  intended. 

The  two  former  advices  I  gave  you,  were  only  pre- 
paratory to  this  last  and  most  important  step,  which  is 
the  sum  and  substance  of  the  duty  here  enjoined,  Turn 
ye  to  the  strong  hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope. 

You  who  are  lying  in  the  prison  of  an  unconverted 
state,  come  hither  to  this  sanctuary,  whose  gates  stand 
open  to  receive  you :  "  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  wor- 
thy of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners :"  He  hath  shed  that  blood  which 
"^  cleanseth  from  all  sin,"  and  hath  sealed  that  gracious 
and  well-ordered  covenant,  which  oflPers  pardon  and 
eternal  life  to  every  penitent,  believing  sinner.  And 
now  "  all  things  are  ready'*  for  your  reception  and  en- 
tertainment: The  Father  is  ready  to  embrace  you; 
Christ  is  ready  to  wash  you  in  his  blood ;  the  Spirit  is 
ready  to  heal  your  diseased  natures ;  angels  are  ready 
to  rejoice  at  your  return;  and  we,  as  the  servants  of  this 
King  of  Zion,  are  ready  to  welcome  you  into  the  family 
of  God,  and  do  now  exhort  and  pray  you,  in  Christ's 
stead,  to  flee  for  refuge,  "  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set 


SERMON  VIII.  139 

before  you/'^  This  is  the  call  of  my  text  to  unconverted 
sinners. 

As  to  the  other  prisoners  of  hope  I  spoke  of,  who, 
though  they  are  rescued  from  the  pit  wherein  is  no  wa- 
ter, yet  find  their  souls  cast  down  within  them,  and,  by 
reason  of  various  discouragements,  cannot  enjoy  ^'  the 
liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  set  them  free." 

The  call  to  you  is,  Turn  again  to  the  strong  hold,  and 
once  more  look  to  "  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  you." 
The  Redeemer,  in  whom  you  trust,  is  mighty  to  save; 
"all  power  is  committed  to  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;" 
and  he  is  constituted  "  head  over  all  things  for  his 
church."  "  It  hath  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him  all 
fulness  should  dwell;"  and  the  whole  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  is  treasured  up  in  him,  for  this  very  end,  that 
he  may  dispense  to  his  people  such  gracious  supplies  as 
their  various  cases  and  circumstances  may  require.  You 
are  not  straitened  in  him,  be  not  "straitened  in  your  own 
bowels." 

Might  I  stay  to  examine  your  particular  complaints, 
I  believe  1  could  show  you  that  there  is  something  in 
the  covenant  to  answer  them  all.  He  who  brought  you 
out  of  the  pit  of  an  unconverted  state,  can  easily  deliver 
you  from  every  other  prison.  What  furnace  can  consume 
those  who  are  sprinkled  with  that  blood  which  hath  al- 
ready quenched  the  fire  of  incensed  justice?  He  who 
"  bore  your  sins  in  his  own  body  upon  the  tree,"  will 
not  suffer  you  to  sink  under  the  weight  of  them :  He 
who  "suffered,  being  tempted,"  will  certainly  succour 
you  who  are  tempted :  He  who,  under  the  hidings  of 
liis  Father's  face,  cried  out  upon  the  cross,  "  My  God ! 
my  God!  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  cannot  fail  to 
sympathize  with  his  people  in  the  like  circumstances; 
and  he  whose  own  "  $oul  was  exceeding  sorrowful^ 


140  SERMON  VIII. 

even  unto  death,"  will,  in  due  time,  communicate  that 
joy  to  you,  the  want  of  which  was  so  painful  to  himself. 
If  Christ  is  indeed  precious  in  your  esteem ;  if  you  can 
say,  without  known  guile,  that  your  whole  dependance 
is  upon  him,  and  him  alone ;  then  know,  that  he  is  equal 
to  all  the  trust  you  can  put  in  him,  and  he  is  faithful 
who  hath  said,  Even  to-day  do  I  declare^  that  I  will 
render  double  unto  thee.  And  this  is  the 

Third  and  last  hranch  of  the  text.    Upon  which  I 
shall  offer  a  very  few  remarks,  and  then  conclude. 

ist.  I  would  observe,  that  the  promise  itself  is  most 
gracious,  I  will  render  double  unto  thee.  We  meet  with 
the  same  expression,  (Isaiah  Ixi.  7-)  where  I  think  the 
meaning  of  it  is  plainly  ascertained:  ^"'For  your  shame 
ye  shall  have  double;  and  for  confusion  they  sliall  re- 
joice in  their  portion:  therefore  in  their  land  they  shall 
possess  the  double:  everlasting  joy  shall  be  unto  them.'' 
The  chapter  is  introduced  with  that  grand  description  of 
the  Messiah's  office,  which  I  formerly  quoted  :  "  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,"  &c.  The  redemp- 
tion of  the  Jews  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  their 
return  to  their  own  land,  appear  from  the  sequel  of  the 
chapter  to  have  been  the  events  which  the  Prophet  had 
more  immediately  in  his  eye.  But  we  shall  not  be  able 
to  doubt  that  he  looked  a  great  deal  farther,  even  to  that 
spiritual  redemption  which  Christ  was  to  achieve  for 
his  church,  if  we  turn  over  to  the  4th  chapter  of  Luke, 
31st  verse,  where  our  blessed  Lord,  after  reading  this 
passage  in  the  synagogue  at  Nazareth,  made  particular 
application  of  it  to  himself,  in  these  remarkable  words : 
^'  This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears." 
Hence  it  is  obvious,  that  what  the  Prophet  says  in  the 
7th  verse,  viz.  for  "your  shame  ye  shall  have  double," 
&c.  falls  to  be  understood  in  a  spiritual  sense  too;  aucl 


SERMON  VIII.  141 

the  meaning  of  it  is,  that  the  rausomed  of  the  Lord  shall 
not  only  be  freed  from  bondage,  and  rescued  from  the 
hands  of  their  spiritual  enemies,  but  shall  likewise  be 
advanced  to  such  honour  and  happiness,  as  shall  wipe 
oflf  all  the  shame  of  their  servitude,  and  fill  them  with 
the  most  transporting  joy. 

In  the  90th  Psalm,  at  the  15th  verse,  Moses,  the  man 
of  God,  prays  for  the  church  in  these  terms:  '•  Make  us 
glad,  according  to  the  days  wherein  thou  hast  afflicted 
us,  and  the  years  w  herein  we  have  seen  grief."  He  only 
asks  joy  in  -proportion  to  the  grief  tliey  have  felt;  but 
the  bounty  of  our  gracious  Lord  doth  far  exceed  the 
prayers  and  expectations  of  his  servants ;  for  here  he 
says,  I.  will  render  unto  thee,  not  barely  according  to, 
or  in  proportion  to  thy  former  sufferings,  but  I  will  ren- 
der double  unto  tliee.  Even  in  this  life,  he  may  pour 
into  your  souls  such  measures  of  joy  and  consolation,  as 
shall  not  only  balance  your  past  sorrows,  but  far  out- 
weigh them,  and  cause  them  to  appear  very  light  and 
inconsiderable.  At  any  rate,  he  will  render  unto  you 
double  in  another  world ;  all  tears  shall  there  be  wiped 
away  from  your  eyes ;  your  light  afflictions,  which  are 
but  for  a  moment,  are,  in  the  mean  time,  working  for 
you  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory ; 
and,  ere  long,  "  you  shall  return  and  come  to  Zion,  with 
songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  your  heads  ;  then  shall 
you  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  flee  away.** 

I  would  further  observe  to  you,  in  the 

''M  place.  That  the  comfort  of  this  promise  is  greatly 
heightened  by  the  manner  of  publishing  it;  Even  to-day 
do  I  declare.  It  is  uttered  with  great  solemnity,  and  ex- 
pressed in  the  most  resolved  and  peremptory  manner.— 


143  SERMON  VIII. 

I  do  not  say  it  slightly ;  1  declare  it;  I  pledge  the  cre^ 
dit  both  of  my  power  and  faithfulness  to  make  it  good. 

The  circumstance  of  time,  too,  makes  a  remarkable 
addition.  I  declare  it  even  to-day;  in  this  dark  and 
cloudy  day,  when  your  misgiving  minds  are  meditating 
nothing  but  terror.  Even  on  this  day^  when  the  event  is 
most  unlikely,  I  give  you  the  promise  of  complete  deli- 
verance ;  to-day,  when  your  hearts  are  emptied  of  self- 
confidence,  when  every  other  refuge  fails,  I  give  you  my 
word,  my  oath,  to  lay  hold  upon ;  and  I  do  it  ^o-rfa^,  whilst 
your  feelings  are  most  painful,  that  the  depth  of  your 
distress  may  help  you  to  form  some  conception  of  the 
high  joy  that  awaits  you  at  that  happy  time  when  I  shall 
render  double  unto  thee. 

But  I  apprehend  there  is  still  an  emphasis  on  these 
M'ords  to-day,  beyond  any  thing  I  have  yet  mentioned. 
Here  God,  as  it  were,  prefixes  a  date  to  his  promise, 
which,  in  human  obligations,  has  always  been  judged 
an  essential  formality :  as  if  he  had  said,  let  it  be  re- 
corded, that  on  this  day  I  have  passed  my  word  for  your 
salvation;  for  thougli  I  need  no  tokens  to  remind  me  of 
my  everlasting  purposes  of  grace,  yet,  as  you  need  them 
to  strengthen  your  faith  and  hope,  therefore,  in  pity  of 
your  weakness,  I  give  you  every  kind  of  security  you 
can  ask  from  one  another.  Let  it  then  be  remembered, 
that  to-day,  I  declare  I  will  render  double  unto  thee. 

Upon  the  whole,  then,  let  me  once  more  repeat  the- 
call  in  my  text,  Turn  ye  to  the  strong  hold,  ye  prison- 
ers of  hope.  Bring  all  your  cares,  your  doubts,  your 
temptations,  to  that  mighty  Saviour  on  whom  your  help 
is  laid.  He  liath  declared  to  you  in  his  word,  that  he 
will  render  unto  you  double;  "for  what  things  soever 
were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learning, 
that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scripture, 


SERMON  IX.  14j3 

might  liave  hope."  The  promise,  though  addressed  to 
believers  many  ages  ago,  extends  even  to  us;  because 
he  who  made  the  promise  is  always  in  one  mind ;  "  the 
same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  for  ever."  Nay,  so  great 
is  his  condescension,  that  he  is  just  now  vvilling  to  have 
it  dated  afresh  under  one  of  the  authentic  seals  of  his 
covenant. 

Let  us  then,  my  brethren,  humbly  adore  the  goodness 
of  God  which  hath  provided  so  liberally  for  the  relief 
and  comfort  of  the  prisoners  of  hope ;  and  in  the  en- 
trance to  the  solemn  service  of  this  day,  let  us  look  up 
to  him  who  is  *•  the  God  of  hope ;"  praying,  in  the  words 
which  his  own  Spirit  hath  indited,  that  he  would  "fill  us 
with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  we  may  abound 
in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Amen. 


1  Peter  ii.  25. 

For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray ;  but  are  now  re- 
turned unto  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  souls. 


Humility  is  both  the  strength  and  beauty  of  the 
soul;  it  is  its  best  defence,  as  well  as  its  fairest  orna- 
ments. *'  Happy  is  the  man  thatfeareth  always;  but  he 
that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall  into  mischief;"  "  for 
God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the  humble." 
No  sooner  had  David  said,  "  I  shall  never  be  moved," 
than  he  suddenly  experienced  a  sad  reverse  of  fortune. 


144  SERMON  IX. 

and  found  cause  to  utter  that  mournful  com  plaint,  ^^Thou 
didst  liide  tliy  face,  and  I  was  troubled." 

Various  means  have  b^en  employed  in  every  age  of 
the  church,  to  banish  pride  from  the  hearts  of  men,  and 
to  beget  and  cherish  that  lowliness  of  mind  which  be- 
comes dependant,  guilty  creatures.  This  was  the  ob- 
vious tendency  of  the  most  solemn  rites  under  the  old 
dispensation.  The  annual  sacrifice  of  the  paschal  lamb, 
besides  its  typical  use,  or  reference  to  the  great  atone- 
ment, had  likewise  an  important  moral  signification ;  and 
the  lessons  it  taught  were  humility  and  gratitude.  "  It 
shall  come  to  pass,*'  said  Moses,  by  the  command  of 
God,  ^'  that  when  your  children  shall  say  unto  you, 
What  mean  you  by  this  service?  ye  shall  say,  It  is  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Lord's  passover,  who  passed  over  the 
houses  of  the  cliildren  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  when  he 
smote  the  Egyptians,  and  delivered  our  houses."  In 
like  manner,  when  they  brought  the  first  fruits  as  an  of- 
fering to  the  Lord,  which  was  another  solemnity  that 
reiurned  every  year,  the  form  of  dedication  was  pre- 
scribed in  these  words:  (Deut.  xxvi.  5,  6,  &c.)  "A 
Syrian  ready  to  perish  was  my  father,  and  he  went 
down  into  Egypt,  and  sojourned  there  with  a  few,  and 
became  there  a  nation,  great,  mighty,  and  populous. 
And  the  Egyptians  evil  intreatcd  us,  and  afSicted  us, 
and  laid  upon  us  hard  bondage.  And  when  we  cried 
•unto  the  Lord  God  of  our  fathers,  the  Lord  heard  our 
voice,  and  looked  on  our  affliction,  and  our  labour,  and 
our  oppression.  And  the  Lord  brought  us  forth  out  of 
Egypt,  witii  a  mighty  hand,  and  with  an  outstretched 
arm,  and  with  great  terribleness,  and  with  signs,  and 
with  wonders.  And  he  hath  brought  us  into  this  place, 
and  hath  given  us  this  land,  even  a  land  that  floweth 
with  milk  and  honey.  And  now,  behold,  I  have  brought 


SERMON  IX.  14,0 

the  first  fruits  of  the  land,  which,  thou,  0  Lord,  hast 
given  me." 

Thus  did  God  train  up  his  ancient  people  *^  to  setve 
him  with  reverence,  and  to  rejoice  before  him  with  trem- 
bling." Their  thank-offerings,  as  well  as  their  oblations 
for  sin,  obliged  them  to  recognize  the  meanness  of  their 
original,  and  the  ignominious  servitude  from  which  God 
had  redeemed  them;  and  every  act  of  worship  tauglit 
them  to  say,  "  Who  am  I,  O  Lord  God,  and  what  is 
ray  house,  that  thou  hast  brouglit  me  hitherto?'' 

The  ordinances  of  grace  in  the  New  Testament 
church  breathe  the  same  spirit,  and  dictate  the  same 
language ;  nay,  they  do  it  with  greater  force  and  energy. 

The  gospel-passover,  which  we  are  this  day  to  cele- 
brate, commemorates  a  deliverance  from  spiritual  thral- 
dom ;  of  which  the  release  of  the  Jews  from  the  Egyp- 
tian yoke  affords  but  a  faint  and  imperfect  emblem. 

Li  those  complicated  sufferings  which  were  the  price 
of  our  redemption,  we  not  only  discover  the  unsearcha- 
ble riches  of  divine  love,  but  we  likewise  behold  the  full 
demerit  of  sin,  and  all  the  horrors  of  that  misery  into 
which  we  had  plunged  ourselves  by  our  fatal  apostacy ; 
so  that  our  triumph  in  the  great  salvation,  by  recalling 
to  our  minds  the  low  and  helpless  state  in  wliich  mercy 
found  us,  gives  check  to  every  self-exalting  thought,  and 
constrains  us  to  ascribe  to  the  free  and  unmerited  favour 
of  God,  the  sole,  the  undivided  praise  of  all  that  we 
have,  or  hope  to  enjoy. 

To  those  views,  and  to  this  becoming  exercise,  we 
are  naturally  led  by  the  words  of  my  text;  which  have 
frequently  occurred  to  me  as  a  most  proper  form  of  ad- 
dress for  introducins:  communicants  to  tlie  table  of  tlieir 
Lord.  Ye  icere  as  shepjj  gohi^  astray,  hut  are  now  re- 
turned to  the  SfipjjJterd  and  Bishojj  of  your  souh. 

VOL.  I.  11 


146  SERMON  IX. 

These  two  widely  different  states, — what  you  once 
were  by  nature,  and  what  you  now  are  by  grace,  I  pro- 
pose to  illustrate  in  the  sequel  of  this  discourse;  from 
both  which  we  may,  with  ease  and  certainty,  discover 
what  frame  and  temper  of  heart  best  suit  our  attendance 
upon  this  great  Christian  solemnity.  Let  me  then  call 
upon  believers  in  Christ;  for  to  them,  and  to  them  only, 
such  language  can  be  addressed ;  let  me  call  upon  thcm^ 
in  the 

First  place,  Seriously  to  review  their  former  condi' 
tion,  v.' hen  they,  as  well  as  others,  were  as  sheep  going 
astray. 

The  fitness  of  this  similitude,  to  exhibit  the  natural 
state  of  mankind,  may  justly  be  inferred  from  the  fre- 
quent use  that  is  made  of  it  in  the  sacred  writings.  I 
shall  not  attempt  to  trace  out  the  resemblance  in  all  its 
extent;  but  some  parts  of  it  are  so  striking  and  expres- 
sive, that  to  overlook  them  altogether,  or  even  slightly 
to  regard  them,  would  either  betray  very  gross  insensi- 
bility, or  a  perverse  contempt  of  the  divine  condescen- 
sion. 

Thus,  a  sheep  that  hath  forsaken  the  good  pasture, 
and  strayed  into  the  parched  and  barren  wilderness,  pre- 
sents to  us,  in  the  strongest  and  most  affecting  light,  an 
emblem  of  indigence,  perplexity,  and  disappointment. 
Now,  such  is  the  state  of  every  natural  man ;  ^*  vanity 
and  vexation  of  spirit"  are  his  portion;  he  resembles 
one  "who  dreameth,  and  behold  he  eateth,  but  he  awak- 
eth,  and  his  soul  is  empty.''  Disappointed  in  every  pur- 
suit, he  goes  from  place  to  place,  ever  repeating  the  anx- 
ious question,  Who  will  shew  me  any  good?  There  is 
a  void  within  him  that  the  world  cannot  fill;  the  flesh, 
after  all  the  provision  he  can  make  for  it,  still  cries  with 
"  the  horse-leech;  Give,  give  y'  and  like  "  the  fire  or  the 


SERMON  IX.  14,7 

grave,  never  saith,  It  is  enough."  All  the  creatures  are 
to  him  what  the  husks  were  to  the  prodigal;  they  yield 
a  momentary  relief,  but  no  real  nourishment;  heendea« 
vonrs  to  feed  upon  them,  "  but  still  he  halh  appetite,  his 
soul  is  faint,"  and  he  perishiith  with  hunger. 

Again,  this  figurative  rapresentation  denotes  a  state 
of  danger  as  well  as  of  indigence  and  dissatisfaction. 
Few  animals  are  beset  with  more  enemies  than  sheep; 
and  perhaps  none  are  possessed  of  less  cunning  to  elude, 
or  of  less  courage  to  resist  them.  Their  safety  depends 
entirely  upon  the  shepherd's  care;  for  if  they  wander 
beyond  the  reach  of  his  protecting  arm,  they  become  at 
once,  to  every  ravenous  beast,  not  only  a  tempting  but 
an  easy  prey.  With  what  awful  precision  doth  this  part 
of  the  similitude  exhibit  to  us  the  state  of  unconverted 
sinners !  Their  spiritual  enemies  are  both  numerous  and 
mighty ;  and  the  subtilty  of  the  serpent  and  the  strength 
of  the  lion  are  but  faint  representations  of  their  craft  and 
power;  yet  such  is  the  presumption  of  carnal  men,  so 
fatal  the  security  of  those  who  are  far  from  God,  that 
instead  of  avoiding  their  blood-thirsty  f»)es,  they  roam 
without  fear  through  their  most  frequented  haunts,  and 
rush  headlong  into  those  snares  that  are  laid  for  their 
destruction. 

Once  more ; — Though  sheep  are  not  the  only  crea- 
tures that  are  prone  to  wander,  yet  it  may  justly  be  af- 
firmed of  them,  that  they,  of  all  others,  discover  least  sa- 
gacity in  finding  the  way  back  to  the  place  from  whence 
they  strayed;  so  that  in  them  we  likewise  behold  a  pro- 
per and  most  descriptive  emblem  of  man's  helpless  and 
impotent  state  by  nature,  and  of  his  utter  inability,  by 
any  clYorts  of  his  own,  to  regain  his  primeval  happiness 
and  glory.  That  the  apostle  intended  to  convey  this  idea 
is  more  probable,  from  the  form  of  his  expression  in  the 


148  SERMON  IX. 

latter  part  of  the  verse ;  where,  speaking  of  the  recovery 
of  wandering  sinners,  he  doth  not  say,  Ye  have  return- 
ed, as  if,  by  their  own  sagacity,  they  had  discovered 
their  error,  and  then  rectified  it  by  the  activity  of  their 
own  natural  powers.  But  it  deserves  our  notice,  that  he 
puts  the  word  into  the  passive  voice,  ye  are  returned; 
tliat  is,  converted,  or  caused  to  return,  as  the  same  word 
is  elsewhere  rendered.  For  what  our  Lord  said  to  his 
first  disciples,  may  be  addressed  to  believers  in  every 
age  of  the  church  :  *'  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you."'  ^'  It  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  "  By  grace  v.^o 
are  saved,  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  ourselves,  it  is 
the  gift  of  God."  Nor  can  any  words  be  conceived  more 
absolute  and  decisive  than  these,  which  are  uttered  by 
Christ  himself:  '^  Xo  man  cometh  unto  me,  except  the 
Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him.*' 

In  all  these  particulars,  the  resemblance  can  be  traced 
with  a  critical  exactness.  But  still  there  remains  one 
other  ingredient  in  man's  apostacy  from  God,  to  which 
the  similitude,  comprehensive  as  it  is,  cannot  be  extend- 
ed ;  the  fatal  ingredient  I  mean  is  guilt. 

A  sheep  gone  astray  is  an  object  of  pity  rather  than  of 
blame;  llic  owner  feels  no  emotion  of  anger  against  the 
simple  wanderer;  he  doth  not  view  it  as  faulty,  but  as 
unfortunate:  be  therefore  seeks  it  with  anxiety;  and 
when  he  hath  found  it,  so  far  is  he  from  punishing  it  as 
a  criminal,  that  he  cherisheth  it  as  a  sufferer,  takes  it 
tenderly  into  his  arms,  and  brings  it  home  with  joy. 
Whereas,  in  our  departure  from  God,  every  crime  is 
united  that  render  us  loathsome  and  odious  in  his  sight. 
Man's  apostacy  was  the  effect,  not  of  weakness,  but  of 
wilfulness:  the  guilt  that  lieth  upon  us  is  nothing  less 
than  proud  £^nd  obstinate  rebellion :  rebellion  blackened 


SERMON  IX.  149 

with  tlie  vilest  ingratitude ;  unprovoked  rebellion  against 
the  Father  of  our  spirits,  and  the  former  of  our  bodies, 
the  God  in  whom  we  live,  the  generous  author  of  those 
distinguished  gilts,  which,  by  the  most  impious  abuse, 
we  have  turned  into  hostile  weapons  against  himself. 

Such  monsters,  my  brethren,  are  all  unconverted  sin- 
ners. Happy!  thrice  happy  they!  of  whom  it  can  only 
be  said,  Such  indeed  ye  were ;  "  but  ye  are  washed,  ye 
are  sanctified,  ye  are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  spirit  of  our  God."  To  you,  O  be- 
lievers, my  text  is  addressed :  look  back  to  the  waste 
and  howling  w  ilderness,  ''■  to  the  lions  dens,"  *^  and  the 
mountains  of  leopards,"  where  lately  you  wandered, 
"hungry  and  hard  bestead,"  surrounded  with  enemies, 
and  unable  to  resist  them. — Now  that  you  are  establisli- 
cd  upon  that  Rock  of  ages,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  never  prevail,  it  can  surely  do  you  no  harm  to  cast 
your  eye  downward  to  the  horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay, 
where  you  are  ready  to  perish,  when  mercy  interposed, 
and  brought  you  seasonable  relief;  on  the  contrary,  the 
remembrance  of  the  dangers  you  have  escaped,  will 
heighten  your  gratitude,  and  only  add  solemnity  to  your 
present  joy,  while,  from  the  humbling  review  of  what 
you  were  by  nature,  I  lead  you  to  the  contemplation  of 
what  you  are  by  grace.  Which  was  the 

Second  thing  proposed  in  the  method :  Te  are  now 
returned  unto  the  Sheplierd  and  Bishop  of  your  souls. 

The  progress  of  a  sinner  in  his  return  to  God  was 
formerly  described,  when  I  opened  the  import  of  these 
kind  invitations.  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden "^  ;"  and,  "  Turn  ye  to  the  strong 
hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hopef."    My  present  aim  is  to 

*  Sermon  vii.  t  Sevnion  viii. 


lao  SERMON  IX. 

comfort  the  souls  of  tliose  who  have  already  complied 
"with  the  heavenly  call,  and  to  congratulate  them  upon 
the  happy  change  that  is  wrought  in  their  condition. 
Hail,  ye  blessed  of  the  Lord  ! 

Ye  are  returned  to  him  who  came  from  heaven  to  earth 
*•  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost ;"  who,  though 
infinitely  offended  by  your  criminal  apostaey,  hath  him- 
self made  atonement  for  your  past  wanderings,  and  ex- 
piated your  guilt  with  his  own  precious  blood  :  "  He 
was  wounded  for  your  transgressions,  and  bruised  for 
your  iniquities,  that  by  his  stripes  ye  might  be  healed." 
"  This  is  that  good  shepherd  who  laid  down  his  life  for 
the  sheep;"  who  "  was  made  sin  for  us,  though  he  knew 
no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him;" — who  "  suffered,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that 
he  miglit  bring  us  to  God,"  with  filial  boldness,  in  tlie 
humble,  yet  assured  hope,  that  we  shall  ^^  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  every  time  of  need." 

Ye  are  returned  to  him, — who  not  only  bore  your 
griefs,  and  carried  your  sorrows,  but  hath  likewise  con- 
quered all  your  enemies,  and  triumphed  over  them,  as 
the  chosen  head  and  representative  of  his  people.  He 
hath  in  his  own  person  *'  spoiled  principalities  and  pow- 
ers;" and  his  success  is  a  pledge  of  your  final  victory 
over  them.  Annoy  you  they  may,  but  they  cannot  hurt 
you ;  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  you  likewise  shall  over- 
come. Ere  long  "  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan 
under  your  feet,"  and  put  that  new  song  into  your  mouth, 
^'  Now  is  come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  king- 
dom of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ;  for  the 
accuser  of  the  brethren  is  cast  down,  who  accused  them 
before  our  God  day  and  night." 

Ye  are  returned  to  him, — who  will  henceforth  watch 
over  you  with  peculiar  care,  and  guard  you  as  his  pro- 


SERMON  IX.  45 i 

perty,  which  he  purchased  with  his  blood.  ^^This  shep^ 
herd  of  Israel,  this  bishop^  this  overseer  of  souls,  never 
slumbers  nor  sleeps." — Many  seasonable,  though  un- 
known deliverances,  did  he  work  for  you,  even  while 
you  ungratefully  despised  and  rejected  him.  Often  did 
he  pluck  you  out  of  the  jaws  of  the  bear  and  the  lion, 
before  you  were  acquainted  with  him,  or  had  any  thought 
of  craving  his  protection  :  but  now  his  eye  is  continually 
upon  you,  his  ear  is  at  all  times  open  to  your  cry,  his 
everlasting  arms  are  around  and  underneatli  you ;  and 
therefore  you  may  boldly  say,  '•  the  Lord  is  my  light, 
and  my  salvation,  whom  shall  I  fear?  The  Lord  is  the 
strength  of  my  life,  of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid  ?  Behold, 
God  is  my  salvation ;  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid :  for 
the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song;  he  also 
is  become  my  salvation." 

Ye  are  returned  to  liim, — who  hath  not  only  almigh- 
ty power  to  guard  you  against  danger,  but  infinite  com- 
passion likewise  to  sympathize  with  you  in  all  your  dis  = 
tresses,  and  to  comfort  you  in  all  your  sorrows.  He  is 
meek  and  merciful,  patient  and  condescending:  ^*  He 
gathers  the  lambs  with  his  arms,  and  carries  them  in  his 
bosom,  and  gently  leads  those  that  are  with  young.'- 
He  pities  their  infirmities,  and  pardons  their  errors ;  he 
spares  them  when  they  are  weary,  and  attends  them 
when  they  are  sick :  nay,  what  no  other  shepherd  can 
do,  he  imparts  strength  to  the  faint,  and  health  t(»  the 
diseased ;  and  not  only  bestows  food,  but  gives  them  an 
appetite  to  feed  upon  it :  he  also  blesseth  their  provi- 
sion, and  causeth  it  to  nourish  them. 

What  shall  I  say  more?  This  shepherd  and  bishop  of 
souls  continues  to  be  their  guardian  even  until  death ; 
neither  doth  he  leave  them  at  that  awful  period,  but  en- 
ters with  them  into  the  deep  and  darksome  vale,  sup- 


i52  SERMON  IX. 

ports  them  with  "  his  staff,"  anil  so  "  comforts  them 
■with  tlie  rod  of  his  strength,"  that  they  "  walk  through 
it  with  dignity,  and  fear  no  evil  because  he  is  with  them.*' 
31auy  of  the  saints  have  been  remarkably  honoured  in 
this  respect;  even  some,  ^' who  through  fear  of  death 
were  all  their  life  long  subject  to  bondage,"  have,  in 
their  latest  moments,  been  enabled  to  triumph  over  this 
king  of  terrors,  and  to  say  with  the  apostle  Paul,  "  O 
death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victo- 
ry ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin ;  and  the  strength  of  sin 
is  the  law.  But  thanks  be  unto  God,  who  giveth  us  the 
victory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Or  if  to  any 
of  them  these  evening-shadows  are  so  thick,  that  they 
cannot  see  the  hand  that  supports  them  ;  yet  this  mo- 
mentary gloom  shall  only  serve  to  heighten  their  sur-' 
prise,  their  gratitude  and  their  joy,  when,  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  valley,  this  good  shepherd  shall  dispel  the 
cloud,  and  stand  before  them  revealed  in  all  his  glory ; 
when  he  shall  embrace  them  in  his  arms,  and  carry 
them  upward  to  those  greener  pastures,  and  more  fruit- 
ful tields  of  the  heavenly  Canaan  ;  where,  as  it  is  beau- 
tifully expressed  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation,  (chap, 
vii.  at  the  close)  "  they  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor 
any  heat.  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living 
fountains  of  water  ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes." 

But  I  must  not  stay  to  enlarge  upon  these  particulars  ; 
i\ic  imperfect  account  you  have  already  heard,  of  the  past 
and  present  state  of  believers  in  Christ,  what  tliey  were 
by  nature,  and  wliat  they  are  by  grace,  may  suflfice  to 
direct  us  to  that  frame  and  temper  of  heart,  with  which 


SERMON  IX.  iga 

we  ought  to  approach  the  table  of  the  Lord.  And  it  is 
obvious,  in  the 

Is^  place,  That  we  should  do  it  with  the  deepest  hu- 
mility. This  is  the  garb  that  sits  most  gracefully,  and 
suits  us  best,  whetlier  we  consider  ourselves  as  lapsed, 
or  restored  ;  as  sinners,  or  as  saints.  Are  we  pardoned  ? 
once  we  were  condemned,  x^re  we  sanctified  ?  once  we 
were  impure.  Are  we  found  ?  once  we  were  lost.  Are  we 
made  alive  ?  lately  we  were  dead  ;  and  still  we  live  by 
an  act  of  grace  ;  it  was  God  who  quickened  us,  and  not 
we  ourselves  :  he  only  maketh  us  to  diifer ;  neither  have 
we  any  thing  but  what  we  received  from  him.  Surely, 
then,  pride  was  not  made  for  man. 

^dly.  We  should  perform  this  service  with  the  warm- 
est emotions  of  gratitude  and  love  ;  giving  thanks  to  the 
Father,  who  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him 
to  be  a  sacrifice  and  sin-offering  for  us :  giving  thanks 
to  the  Son,  who  spared  not  himself,  but  having  taken 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  submitted  to  hunger  and 
thirst,  to  watching  and  weariness,  to  ignominy  and  tor- 
ture :  nay,  to  death  and  the  grave  ;  that  through  the 
merit  of  his  death  we  might  live  for  ever  :  giving  thanks 
to  the  Spirit  of  all  grace,  who  unites  us  to  Christ,  and 
applies  to  our  souls  that  redemption  he  hath  purchased, 
who  renews  our  depraved  natures,  and  renders  us  meet 
for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  How  well  doth 
that  hymn  of  praise  become  the  remembrance  of  Christ's 
death,  with  which  the  heavenly  hosts  celebrate  the  ti- 
dings of  his  birth?  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on 
earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men/' 

^dlij.  Godly  sorrow  for  past  offences,  and  holy  pur- 
poses to  offend  no  more,  should  likewise  attend  us  to 
the  table  of  the  Lord.  Is  Ciirist  there  set  forth  as  cruci- 
fied before  our  eyes !  and  can  we  "  look  upon  him  whom 

VOL.  I.  s 


154  SERMON  IX. 

we  have  pierced,"  without  mourningfor  those  sins  which 
were  the  cause  of  his  sufferings?  or  can  we  mourn  for 
tliem,  without  haling  them,  and  resolving  to  forsake 
them?  Should  not  this  be  the  language  of  every  sincere 
communicant?  "  What  have  1  to  do  any  more  with 
idols?'*'  "  What  I  know  not,  Lord,  teach  thou  me;  if  I 
have  done  iniquity,  I  will  do  so  no  more."  But  then,  in 
the 

-Uh  place,  These  purposes  must  ever  be  accompanied 
witli  a  sense  of  our  own  weakness,  and  of  our  absolute 
need  of  aid  from  above.  Even  after  we  are  returned  to 
tlie  bishoji  of  our  souls,  if  left  to  ourselves  we  should 
quickly  stumble  and  fall;  the  same  hand  that  brought  us 
back,  when  we  were  as  she ejp  going  astray,  will  always 
be  necessary  to  uphold  us  in  our  journey,  and  to  lead  us 
forward  till  we  arrive  at  the  promised  laud.  "  Without 
me,"  said  our  Lord,  even  to  those  who  were  united  to 
him,  as  the  branches  are  to  the  vine,  "  without  me,"  or 
separated  from  me,  "ye  can  do  nothing:  as  the  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine;  no 
more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me."  What  is  underta- 
ken in  self-confidence,  shall  certainly  issue  in  shame  and 
disappointment.  The  apostle  Peter,  who  boasted,  that 
"  though  all  should  forsake  his  Master,  yet  would  not 
he,"  not  only  forsook  him,  but  with  oaths  and  impreca- 
tions denied  that  he  knew  him.  "  He  that  trusteth  to  his 
own  heart  is  a  fool :" — '*  Behold,"  said  the  prophet  Ha- 
bakkuk,  "  his  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is  not  upright  ia 
him."  Needful,  then,  most  needful,  is  that  caution, 
"  Let  him  who  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he 
fall."  At  the  same  time,  in  the 

5tli  place,  This  diffidence  of  ourselves  ought  always 
to  he  qualified  with  a  steadfast  truth,  an  unsuspecting 
coufideucc,  in  the  power  and  faithfulness  of  our  great 


SERMON  IX.  lo3 

Redeemer.  Paul,  who  disclaiDied  the  ability  of  conceiv- 
ing so  much  as  one  good  thought,  independent  of  God, 
did  not  however  hesitate  to  say,  *•  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  that  strengthcueth  me."  The  same  good 
shepherd  who  found  us  whon  we  were  lost,  is  alile  to 
"lead  us  in  the  paths  of  righteousness;''  and  he  will  do 
it  "for  his  name's  sake.*'  He  upon  whom  our  lielp  is 
laid,  is  styled  "  the  faithful  and  the  true  witness:"  And 
these  are  his  kind,  encouraging  words  to  all  who  are  re- 
turned to  him  as  the  bishop  of  their  souls,  "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee:" — "  Fear  not,  for  1  am  with  thee; 
be  not  dismayed,  for  1  am  thy  God;  I  will  strengthen 
thee;  yea,  I  will  help  thee ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with 
the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness." 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  that  temper  of  heart  with  which 
we  ought  to  attend  upon  this  great  Christian  solemnity: 
The  deepest  humility,  and  the  warmest  gratitude;  god- 
ly sorrow  on  account  of  our  wanderings  in  time  past, 
and  holy  purposes  to  walk  circumspectly  for  the  time  to 
come ;  a  sense  of  our  weakness,  and  of  our  absolute  need 
of  grace  from  on  high,  joined  with  a  firm,  unsuspecting 
reliance  on  the  power  and  faithfulness  of  our  glorious 
Redeemer,  who  hath  promised  the  Spirit  to  them  that 
ask  it,  and  bid  us  "  ask,  and  receive,  that  our  joy  may 
be  full."  Thus  let  us  encompass  the  altar  of  God,  pray- 
ing  that  this  gospel-feast  may  prove  effectual,  through 
his  blessing,  for  confirming  our  faith,  for  inflaming  our 
love,  and  enlivening  our  hope ; — that,  by  the  nourish- 
ment it  affords,  we  may  be  strengthened  to  pursue  our 
journey  through  this  wilderness,  till,  having  past  the 
dark  valley  and  shadow  of  death,  we  shall  enter  into 
the  promised  land  of  rest,  where,  face  to  face,  we  shall 
behold  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  our  souls,  and,  sur- 
rounding the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  bear  our 


156  SERMON  X. 

part  in  that  grateful,  triunipliant  song,  ^^  Unto  him  that 
loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood, 
and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God,  and  his 
Father;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever."  tlmen. 


Hebrews  iv.  16. 


Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  we  may  ohtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in 
time  of  need. 


X  HE  great  atonement  we  are  this  day  to  commemo- 
rate, is  the  sole  foundation  of  that  throne  of  grace  to 
which  the  apostle  invites  us  in  my  text;  for  it  is  only 
f*  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  God  reconcileth  the  world  unto 
himself/*'  So  that  the  subject  I  have  chosen  hath  an  ob- 
vious and  peculiar  reference  to  that  sacred  service  in 
which  we  are  shortly  to  be  engaged.  In  order  to  render 
it  profitable  for  our  instruction  and  comfort,  1  propose, 
in  dependance  upon  divine  aid, 

First.  To  explain  what  is  meant  by  coming  boldly 
unto  the  throne  of  grace  ;  and, 

Secondly.  To  consider  the  errand  upon  which  we  are 
invited  to  come ;  namely,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and 
find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  After  whicli,  I  shall, 
in  the 

Third  place,  Illustrate  the  motives,  or  grounds  of  en- 


SERMON  X.  157 

couragemeiit,  sus;geste(l  by  the  apostle  in  the  foregoing 
context,  upon  which  the  exhortation  appears  to  be 
founded  : 

And  then  direct  you  to  the  practical  improvement  of 
the  whole. 

I  BEGIN  with  explaining  what  is  meant  by  coming 
boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace. 

You  will  easily  perceive,  that  the  boldness  here  recom- 
mended, must  be  something  entirely  diflerent  from  fear-  ^^ 
less  presumption,  or  headlong  irreverence,  in  our  ap-  ' 
proaches  to  God ;  for  he  hath  expressly  said,  and  con- 
firmed the  truth  of  it  by  many  av.  ful  examples,  "  I  will 
be  sanctified  in  them  that  come  nigh  me,  and  before  all 
the  people  I  will  be  glorified.*' — "  God  is  greatly  to  be 
feared  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints;  he  is  to  be  had  in 
reverence  of  all  that  are  about  him."  We  find  this  same 
apostle,  towards  the  close  of  the  epistle,  concluding  a 
most  lofty  and  animated  description  of  the  dignity  and 
privileges  of  the  gospel-church,  with  this  remarkable  in- 
ference, "  Wherefore,  we  receiving  a  kingdom  which 
cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may 
serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear; 
for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  Nay,  the  latter  part 
of  my  text  is  sufficient  to  qualify  the  expression,  and  to 
guard  us  against  any  mistake  about  its  true  meaning  and 
import. 

In  what  character  must  w^e  approach  the  throne  of 
grace?  Is  it  not  as  creatures  that  need  both  mercy  and 
grace?  If  so,  then  surely  the  boldness  with  which  we 
are  exhorted  to  come,  can  be  no  other  than  the  boldness 
of  humble  penitents ;  such  as  may  consist  with  a  convic- 
tion of  guilt,  and  a  sense  of  weakness  ;  a  boldness  that 
takes  its  rise,  not  from  any  supposed  goodness  or  wor- 
thiness in  ourselves,  but  from  the  highest  and  most  hon- 


158  SERMON  X. 

oiirable  conceptions  of  the  greatness,  as  well  as  of  the 
clemency,  of  tliat  God  whom  we  adore. 

It  is  not  then  to  filial  awe  and  reverence,  but  to  dis- 
trust and  ji'alousy,  that  boldness  is  here  opposed.  The 
spirit  becoming  the  gospel-state  is  not  a  spirit  of  bond- 
age and  fear,  but  a  spirit  of  adoption,  disposing  and  en- 
abling us  to  "  cry,  Abba,  Father."  In  this  temper  we 
should  approach  the  throne  of  grace ;  not  with  terror 
and  am  izeme.nt,  like  criminals  dragged  before  a  tribu- 
nal of  justice;  but  with  a  cheerful  hope  of  obtaining  par- 
don and  acceptance,  for  the  sake  of  him  "  who  died  for 
our  sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justification ;"  "  who 
suffered,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us 
to  God.'' 

Man's  apostacy  began  with  harsh  and  injurious 
thoughts  of  God ;  seduced  by  the  tempter,  he  suspected 
his  Creator  both  of  falsehood  and  envy :  And  it  is  the 
office  of  failh  to  repair  that  injury,  by  recognizing  his 
title  to  the  entire  and  unreserved  trust  of  the  creature. 
It  was  for  this  end  tliat  '^  God,  being  willing  more  abun- 
dantly to  shew  to  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability 
of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath,  that  by  two  im- 
mutable things,  in  which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to 
lie,  they  might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled 
for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  them." 
It  is  his  pleasure,  that  we  rely  upon  him  with  an  unsus- 
pecting confidence ;  and  we  tiien  honour  him  most,  when, 
conscious  of  our  own  unworthiness,  but  depending  at 
the  same  time  upon  his  faithful  word  of  promise;  satis- 
fied with  the  proofs  he  hath  given  us  of  his  love,  and 
encouraged  by  his  kind  and  generous  invitation;  we 
come  to  his  throne  with  a  child-like  freedom,  to  pour 
out  our  hearts  before  iiim,  and  to  present  our  supplica- 
tions for  that  mercy  and  grace^  wliich  he  is  always  rea- 


SERMON  X.  159 

dy  to  bestow  upon  those  wlio  feel  their  need  of  such  im- 
^)ortant  blessings.  But  the  full  meanins;  and  import  of 
the  exhortation  will  better  appear,  when  I  have  opened 
the  errand  upon  which  we  are  invited  to  come  boldly 
unto  the  throne  of  grace.  Which  was  the 

Second  thing  proposed  in  the  method.  The  errand, 
you  see,  consists  of  two  parts. 

The  first  in  order  is,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy  ;  mer- 
cy to  pardon  our  sins,  and  to  reinstate  us  in  the  favour 
and  friendship  of  God.  This  blessing  is  introductory  to 
all  others ;  for  till  we  are  reconciled  to  God  through  the 
great  Mediator,  we  are  incapable  of  holding  communion 
with  him;  neither  can  we  yield  unto  him  any  service 
that  is  acceptable :  "  Two  cannot  walk  together  except 
they  be  agreed;"  and  till  the  blood  of  Jesus,  who,  through 
the  eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  ivithout  spot  unto  God, 
purge  our  conscience  from  dead  works,  we  cannot  serve 
the  living  God:  for  "  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God."  Nay,  after  we  are  justified  and  accepted 
in  the  Beloved,  though  we  are  thereby  secured  against 
final  condemnation,  yet  we  are  not  raised  above  the  need 
of  pardoning  mercy ;  still  we  shall  have  this  errand  to 
the  throne  of  grace;  our  repealed  backslidings  will  al 
ways  render  it  necessary  to  make  repeated  application 
to  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  for  cleansing  us  afresh,  and 
obtaining  renewed  intimations  of  pardon  and  acceptance. 

But  we  have  another  errand  besides  this  to  the  throne 
of  grace  ;  namely,  that  we  may  find  grace  to  help  in 
time  of  need.  The  form  of  expression  implies,  that  there 
is  no  danger  of  a  disappointment;  assisting  grace  is  al- 
ready prepared ;  it  waits  our  coming:  and  if  we  seek,  wc 
shall  certainly  j^*)?rf  it.  It  farther  seems  to  intimate,  thai 
wc  should  be  habitually  in  a  posture  of  waiting  upon 
God,  according  to  that  apostolic  injunction,  "  Tray  with- 


160  SERMON  X. 

out  ceasing;*'  for  such  is  our  weak,  distempered  state, 
tliat  there  is  no  portion  of  time  in  the  whole  duration  of 
our  life  upon  earth,  which  is  not  to  us  a  time  of  need: 
should  God  withdraw  his  help  for  one  moment,  in  that 
very  moment  we  should  stumble  and  fall. 

One  tiling  deserves  our  particular  attention;  namely, 
That  the  grace  we  are  encouraged  to  ask,  is  grace  for 
present  need,  and  not  present  grace  ^ov  future  supposed 
^•^-  necessities.  This  remark  is  of  greater  importance  than 
is  generally  apprehended.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for 
serious  people,  wlio  suspect  their  own  sincerity,  to  fore- 
ciist  some  trial  of  the  severest  kind,  and  to  pass  judg- 
ment upon  themselves,  according  to  the  present  state 
and  temper  of  their  minds  with  respect  to  that  supposed 
trial.  What  shall  I  think  of  myself?  saith  one ;  it  is  re- 
quired of  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  that  he  take  up  his  cross; 
but  so  feeble  am  I,  that  my  nature  shrinks  at  the  remo- 
test prospect  of  suffering;  should  persecution  arise  for 
righteousness  sake,  I  should  not  be  able  to  stand  in  that 
evil  day;  I  should  sink  under  the  cross,  and  "  make 
shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  conscience."  Alas !  saith 
another,  instead  of  "  desiring  to  depart,  and  be  with 
Christ,"  Death  is  to  me  the  "  king  of  terrors;'"*  when 
I  think  of  dissolution,  my  heart  dies  within  me  ;  what 
shall  I  do  when  tlie  fatal  period  is  come?  Were  I  in 
Christ  Jesus,  surely  it  could  not  be  thus  with  me;  have 
I  not  then  cause  to  conclude  that  my  religion  is  vain  ? 
15y  such  unwarrantable  experiments  do  many  perplex 
and  discourage  their  souls,  and  weaken  their  hands  for 
])rescnt  duty.  I  call  them  unwarrantuble  experiments, 
because  tiiey  are  not  only  beside  the  Scripture  rule,  but 
directly  contrary  to  it.  Our  Lord  hath  commanded  us, 
•^  to  take  no  thouglit  for  the  morrow,  but  leave  the  mor- 
row to  take  thoui::ht  for  the  thinsis  of  itself ;  because  suf- 


SERMON  X.  Igij 

fieieut  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof.*'  When  he  fore- 
warned his  disciples  that  they  were  to  be  brought  be 
fore  governors  and  kings  for  his  sake,  did  he  require 
them  to  tell,  at  tliat  very  instant,  what  defence  they 
could  make  ?  or  did  he  even  set  upon  them  preparing 
answers  to  such  questions  as  might  be  put  unto  them? 
No :  on  the  contrary,  lie  said  unto  them,  "  Be  not  anx- 
ious how,  or  what  ye  shall  speak;  for  it  shall  be  given 
you  in  that  same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak."  When  ye 
are  brought  to  the  trial  and  work  of  confessors,  then 
shall  you  find  the  courage  and  wisdom  of  confessors. 
So  it  is,  my  brethren,  with  respoct  to  us :  grace  to  suf- 
fer, is  for  a  suftering  season :  grace  to  die,  is  for  dying 
moments:  then,  but  not  before,  is  the  time  ofveed.  Are 
you  solicitous  about  grace  for  future  emergencies  ?  let 
me  ask  you,  I  pray,  have  j'ou  got  all  tlie  grace  3'^ou  need 
for  present  duty?  If  you  think  you  have,  T  can,  without 
further  inquiry,  assure  you,  that  you  are  mistaken.  At 
this  very  moment  you  need  grace  to  cure  your  anxiety 
and  distrust,  to  check  your  impatience  and  presumptu- 
ous curiosity.  Cast  your  care  upon  God  for  every  need- 
ful support,  wiien  you  shall  be  called  to  suflfer  and  die, 
and  come  to  his  throne  for  grace,  that  may  enable  you  to 
live  to  some  good  and  useful  purpose  in  the  mean  time. 
Seek  grace  to  mortify  your  remaining  corruptions,  to 
strengthen  your  faith,  and  to  inflame  your  love ;  seek 
grace  to  perform  all  the  duties  of  social  life,  to  make  you 
good  neigiibours,  good  friends,  good  parents,  or  good 
children,  that  you  may  serve  and  glorify  God  in  those 
stations  and  conditions  of  life  which  his  providence  hath 
allotted  you.  These  ought  to  be  the  immediate  objects 
of  your  care;  for  till  the  present  time  cease  to  he  a  time 
of  need,  it  is  indecent,  it  is  foolish,  to  look  beyond  it, 
and  to  distress  yourselves  with  a  premature   anxiety 

VOL.   I.  T 


1C3  SERMON  X, 

about  tlie  morrow.  Our  errand,  then,  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  is  no  other  than  tliis,  to  obtain  mercy  for  the  par- 
don of  past  sins,  and  grace  proportioned  to  our  present 
necessity;  either  to  subdue  our  corruptions,  to  resist 
temptations,  to  support  us  under  the  afflictions  we  feel, 
nr  to  strengthen  us  for  the  duties  wc  are  called,  to  per- 
form. I  now  proceed  in  the 

Third  j^lace,  To  illustrate  the  grounds  of  encourage- 
ment upon  which  the  apostle's  exhortation  is  founded. 
These  are  suggested  in  the  two  preceding  verses :  We 
have  a  great  High  Priest,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God.  This 
High  Priest  is  passed  into  the  heavens;  and  he  is  not  an 
High  Priest  who  cannot  he  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we 
are,  yet  without  sin, 

Tiie  ist  tiling  to  be  considered  is  the  personal  worth 
and  dignity  of  our  High  Priest.  Of  this  we  have  a  lofty 
description  in  the  beginning  of  the  epistle:  there  he  is 
styled  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Creator  of  the  worlds, 
the  hrigldness  of  the  Father^ s  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person,  who  upholdeth  all  things  by  the 
ivordofhis  power;  infinitely  higher  than  iho,  angels, 
inasmucii  as  he  is  their  Lord  and  head,  and  they  only 
ministering  spirits,  whom  he  employs  as  his  servants, 
and  sends  forth  to  minister  unto  the  heirs  of  salvation. 
Thus  great  is  the  Christian's  High  Priest :  this  is  that 
exalted  Person  who  hath  undertaken  to  mediate  be- 
tween fjod  and  sinners.  Have  we  not  here  then  one 
solid  ground  of  encouragement,  a  firm  foundation  for  our 
hope  of  the  divine  favour  and  acceptance?  but  this 
ground  of  encouragement  receives  a  mighty  addition, 
wheiv  ^>gPther  with  the  personal  dignity  of  our  High 
Priest,  we  consider,  in  the 

2fZ  place,  The   value  of  what  he  did  and  suffered  in 


SERMON  X.  163 

that  character.  Having  assumed  our  nature,  "  and  taken 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  he  yielded  a  perfect 
obedience  to  that  law  which  we  had  broken,  and  at  last 
submitted  to  a  painful,  ignominious,  and  accursed  death, 
that  we  might  live  through  him.  ^'  He  was  made  sin  for 
us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righ- 
teousness of  God  in  him."  Hereby  tlie  law  was  magni- 
fied, divine  justice  infinitely  glorified,  and  a  way  open- 
ed for  the  free  and  honourable  exercise  of  racicy  and 
grace  to  a  guilty  world.    The  sufferings  of  the  Sou  of 
God  in  our  nature,  and  for  our  sins,  afford  a  display  of 
the  divine  holiness  and  justice,  more  bright  and  awful 
than  if  the  whole  human  race  had  perished  irrecovera- 
bly. While  the  law  is  not  made  void,  but  established, 
by  what  he  did  ;  at  the  same  time  by  what  he  suffered, 
a  public  testimony  is  given  to  all  inielligent  creatures, 
that  sin  is  an  evil  of  such  deep  malignity,  that  nothing 
less  than  a  sacrifice  of  infinite  worth  could  expiate  the 
guilt  of  it,  or  save  the  transgressors  from  endless  mise- 
ry :  So  that  this  dispensation,  which  provides  so  effec- 
tually for  the  glory  of  God,  hath  a  powerful  tendency 
to  quiet  our  minds,  and  to  cherish  our  hopes  of  pardon 
and  acceptance  ;  because  now  it  appears,  that  God  may 
be  merciful  without  impairing  the  authority  of  his  gov- 
ernment ;  nay,  perfectly  just,  as  well  as  infinitely  gra- 
cious,  when  he  justifieth  those  who  believe  on  Jesus. 
These  hopes  will  appear  to  have  a  firmer  foundation, 
if,  to  the  dignity  of  our  High  Priest,  and  the  inestimable 
worth  of  his  obedience  and  suffering,  we  add,  in  tlie 

Sd  place.  That  he  was  fully  autliorised  to  undertake 
this  office;  for,  as  we  read  in  this  same  epistle,  "  Christ 
glorified  not  himself  to  be  made  an  high  priest;  but  he  wli(> 
said  unto  him.  Thou  art  my  Son,  to-day  have  I  begotten 
thee."  Indeed,  without  such  a  divine  coustituliou,  the  sa? 


16J}  SERMON  X. 

crifice  he  offered  could  have  been  of  no  benefit  to  us.  The 
acceptance  of  one  life  in  the  place  of  another,  dependeth 
solely  upon  him  to  whom  the  forfeiture  is  made.  But, 
blessed  be  God,  the  designation  of  our  Lord  to  the  office 
of  high  priest,  is  so  plainly  and  repeatedly  asserted  in 
Scripture,  that  there  is  no  room  left  us  to  doubt  of  it.  "He 
gave  himself  for  our  sins,  according  to  the  will  of  God." 
Hence  he  is  styled  the  Messenger  of  the  covenant,  the 
Servant,  and  the  Elect  of  God.  In  every  part  of  his  un- 
dertaking he  acted  by  commission  from  his  heavenly 
Father:  "'  He  came  not  to  do  his  own  will,  but  the  will 
of  him  that  sent  him;"  which  affords  the  strongest  en- 
couragement to  draw  near  to  God  with  filial  boldness, 
and  to  hope  for  acceptance  through  this  great  High 
Priest  of  his  own  designation  and  choice,  this  "mighty 
One,  upon  whom  he  h;ith  laid  our  help.'"  Yea, 

Mhly.  To  remove  every  possible  ground  of  jealousy, 
God  hath  testified,  in  the  most  public  and  solemn  man- 
lier, his  perfect  satisfaction  with  his  whole  conduct  as 
Mediator;  which  is  a  circumstance  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance to  give  our  hope  a  firm  and  lasting  foundation. 
Though  Christ  had  died  on  purpose  to  expiate  our  guilt, 
and  to  reconcile  us  to  God ;  though  his  sacrifice  had  been 
of  infinite  Avorth  in  itself,  and  offered  in  consequence  of 
his  Father's  appointment;  yet,  after  all,  something  would 
have  appeared  wanting  to  assure  our  faith,  if  it  Iiad  not 
been  furnished  with  the  strongest  evidence  that  this  sa- 
crifice was  really  accepted.  But,  thanks  be  unto  God,  the 
certainty  of  this  is  put  beyond  all  question  in  the  sacred 
Scriplures.  Twice  was  it  proclaimed  by  an  audible  voice 
from  heaven,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  wiiom  I  am 
w  ell  pleased."  The  miracles  wrought  at  his  death,  and 
that  greatest  of  miracles,  his  own  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  arc  further  confirmations  of  this  comfortable  truth ; 


SERMON  X.  165 

but,  above  all,  his  ascension  into  heaven,  and  his  exalta- 
tion to  the  right  hand  of  the  majesty  on  high,  remove 
every  conceivable  cause  of  fear,  and  do  well  support  that 
triumphant  challenge  of  the  apostle,  "  Who  shall  lay 
any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that 
justificth:  Who  is  lie  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that 
died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again ;  who  is  even  at  the 
right  hand  of  God ;  who  also  maketh  intercession  for 
us.''  Which  brings  me  to  the 

5th  and  last  ground  of  encouragement,  namely,  That 
our  great  High  Priest,  who  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
is  ever  mindful  of  our  interest,  and  lives  and  reigns  for 
the  benefit  of  his  people.  We  are  told  in  Scripture,  that 
the  legal  high  priest  carried  tlic  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes  on  his  shoulder  and  breast- plate,  when,  on  the 
great  day  of  atonement,  he  made  his  solemn  entrance 
into  the  holy  of  holies;  that  while  God  looked  upon  him, 
he  might  at  the  same  time  remember  the  tribes  of  Israel, 
accept  his  offering  for  t!ie  expiation  of  their  guilt,  and 
hearken  to  his  prayers  and  intercession  on  their  beiialf. 
In  like  manner,  our  great  High  Priest,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  gone  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  "  ap- 
pears in  the  immediate  presence  of  God  for  us,"  sustain- 
ing the  character  of  the  second  Adam,  the  head  and  re- 
presentative of  all  his  spiritual  seed ;  and  is  raised  to  the 
highest  dignity  and  power,  that  he  may  manage  their  af- 
fairs to  the  best  advantage,  and  effectually  secure  their 
eternal  salvation.  He  was  a  sufferer  himself,  and  kuow- 
eth  the  heart  of  a  sufferer,  not  by  report,  but  by  personal 
experience.  He  was  tried  with  temptations  even  as  we 
arc;  and  though  he  conquered  them  all,  yet  he  had  proof 
of  the  skill,  as  well  as  of  the  malice  of  the  tempter,  and 
can  make  allowance  for  the  disproportion  betwixt  him- 
self and  us.  Nay,  he  stooped  thus  low,  not  only  to  ;nake 


165  SERMON  X. 

atonement  for  our  guilt,  and  to  open  for  us  a  passage  to 
the  mercy-seat;  but  that  we,  being  assured  of  his  perfect 
acquaintance  with  human  infirmity,  might  have  the  most 
cheerful  reliance  upon  his  compassion  and  sympathy, 
and  boldly  approach  tJie  throne  of  grace,  having  such  a 
friend  to  patronize  us,  and  to  plead  our  cause;  "For 
we  have  not  an  High  Priest  who  cannot  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points  tempt- 
ed like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin.'' 

By  such  encouraging  motives,  my  brethren,  doth  the. 
apostle  press  the  exhortation  in  my  text. — "  We  have  a 
great  High  Priest,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,"  who  offered 
up  a  sacrifice  of  infinite  worth ;  not  officiously  or  at  ran- 
dom, but  by  the  express  appointment  of  his  heavenly 
Father,  and  in  consequence  of  a  solemn  agreement  or 
covenant. — This  sacrifice  was  accepted  for  all  the  pur- 
poses for  which  it  was  intended ;  in  testimony  whereof 
our  great  High  Priest  hath  "  passed  into  the  heavens ;'' 
where,  amidst  all  the  splendours  of  his  exalted  state,  he 
kindly  remembers  his  people  upon  earth,  feels  their  in- 
firmities, sympathizes  with  them  in  all  their  sufferings, 
and  never  ceaseth  to  make  intercession  for  them.  Have 
we  not  then  reason  to  come  boldly  unto  the  the  throne  of 
grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy ^  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need. 

But,  after  all,  it  must  be  confessed,  that  in  tliis,  as  in 
most  other  tilings,  the  knowledge  of  our  duty  is  far  ea- 
sier than  the  practice  of  it. 

^'  Christ's  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  drink 
indeed ;"  but  our  Lord  hath  assured  us,  "  that  except  we 
eat  his  flesh,  and  drink  his  blood,  we  have  no  life  in  us." 
A  speculative  knowledge  will  avail  us  nothing;  a  Sa- 
viour unapplied  can  be  no  Saviour  to  us.  To  think  just- 
ly of  Christ;  and  of  the  great  things  he  hath  already 


SERMON  X.  167 

doue,  ami  continues  to  do,  for  sinners  of  mankind,  is  an 
attainment  of  no  great  difficulty  ;  but  to  improve  his  me- 
diation as  the  source  of  our  joy,  and  the  means  of  our 
comfortable  access  to  God,  requires  greater  skill  thau 
many  who  profess  to  believe  on  him  are  possessed  of. 
This  wisdom  cometh  only  from  above.  Nevertheless,  as 
God  usually  worketh  by  the  ministry  of  the  word,  be- 
fore I  conclude  this  discourse,  I  shall  endeavour  to  sug- 
gest a  few  hints  that  may  be  of  use  to  you. 

Are  you  overwhelmed  with  the  glory  and  majesty  of 
God?  Are  you  ready  to  say,  as  Elihu  did,  "  Behold  ! 
God  is  great,  and  we  know  him  not?"  Turn  your  eyes 
to  the  *'  Word  made  flesh,"  and  sec  the  divine  glory 
veiled  in  the  human  nature  of  your  Redeemer.  AVe  can 
have  positive  conceptions  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  though 
we  may  not  think  that  the  Godhead  is  flesh,  yet  we  may 
think  of  it  as  it  appeared  in  flesh,  and  shone  forth  in  its 
holiness  and  goodness  to  the  world.  In  the  person  of  our 
Mediator,  God  approacheth  us  familiarly,  to  invite  us  to 
come  to  him  with  humble  confidence  and  reverend  bold- 
ness. Christ  did  not  assume  a  form  of  terror;  women 
durst  talk  with  him,  sinners  durst  eat  with  him,  the  poor 
and  the  diseased  durst  ask  his  help:  and  though  we  must 
not  debase  the  dignity  of  the  Son  of  God,  by  imagining 
that  it  is  as  much  obscured  in  heaven  as  it  was  upon 
earth;  yet,  even  the  glorified  humanity  of  the  Word 
made  flesh,  aflbrds  unspeakable  comfort  to  the  soul,  thaf 
might  otherwise  shrink  back,  and  tremble  to  draw  near 
to  God.  i 

Doth  the  guilt  of  sin  terrify  you  ?  Do  you  fear  that  a 
just  and  holy  God  can  never  accept  such  offenders  a& 
you  have  been?  Here  Christ  is  our  relief;  who  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  ini- 
quities: who  paid  our  debt,  and  hath  purchased  and 


i68  SERMON  X. 

sealed  our  pardon  with  his  blood.  The  curse  and  con- 
demning sentence  of  the  law  are  indeed  terrible;  but  if 
we  have  truly  fled  to  Christ  for  refuge,  he  hath  nailed 
them  to  his  cross,  and  will  give  us  a  full  and  free  dis- 
charge. 

Are  you  discouraged  with  the  infirmities  you  daily 
feel,  the  imperfection  of  your  knowledge,  the  wandering 
of  your  thoughts,  the  coldness  of  your  love,  and  the  fee- 
bleness of  your  desires?  Faith  can  still  find  a  remedy 
jn  Christ  Jesus,  by  reminding  us,  that  our  acceptance 
Avith  the  Father  is  through  the  merits  of  his  Son; — and 
he,  my  friends,  is  worthy,  though  we  are  unworthy;  his 
righteousness  is  perfect,  and  without  spot;  he  is  not 
weak  when  we  are  weak;  he  is  not  distempered  when 
we  are  sick ;  our  High  Priest  is  unchangeable,  "  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.'' 

Are  you  harassed  with  temptations,  those  fiery  darts 
of  the  wicked  one?  Still  faith  can  find  a  Saviour  suited 
to  your  necessity.  Our  great  Lord  submitted,  not  only 
to  be  templed  l)y  Satan,  but  to  be  tempted  in  a  vi'ilder- 
uess,  where  he  had  none  to  comfort  him ;  nay,  tempted 
to  the  most  horrid  blasphemy  and  wickedness,  even  to 
fall  down  and  worship  the  devil  himself.  Look,  there- 
fore, to  him  ^'  who  is  touched  with  the  feeling  of  your  in- 
'nmities,  having  been  in  all  points  tempted  even  as  you 
ue."  He  who  made  all  temptations  subservient  to  the 
triumphs  of  his  own  patience  and  conquering  power, 
^vill  support  and  succour  his  tempted  servants,  and 
Make  his  grace  victorious  in  the  weakest  hearts. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  soul  is  oppressed  with 
griefs  and  fears  whicli  it  cannot  account  for.  Such  was 
i4ie  Psalmist's  case  when  he  said,  "  I  remembered  God, 
and  was  troubled ;  I  complained,  and  ray  spirit  was 
werwhelmed.  0  my  God,  my  soul  is  cast  down  in  me ; 


SERMON  XI.  1(59 

I  am  so  troubled  that  I  cannot  speak."  But  even  in  this 
case  faith  can  look  to  Christ,  and  remember  that  he  too 
was  in  an  agony ;  an  agony  more  painful  than  any  thing 
we  can  feel ;  and  yet  in  that  agony  he  prayed  more  earn- 
estly. Faith  will  recollect  the  very  words  he  uttered,  My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death.  J^oia  is 
my  soul  troubled,  and  what  shall  Isayf  It  will  remind 
us  how  he  cried  upon  the  cross.  My  God!  My  God! 
tchy  hast  thou  forsaken  me?  though  even  then  he  was 
still  the  beloved  of  the  Father,  and  suifered  all  this,  that 
we  might  not  be  finally  abandoned  and  forsaken. 

After  this  manner  we  may  improve  the  mediation  of 
Christ,  for  bringing  us,  in  all  the  variety  of  our  circum- 
stances, with  humble  boldness  to  the  throne  of  grace; 
where,  to  our  present  comfort,  and  our  everlasting  joy, 
we  shall  obtain  mercy ,  and  find  grace  to  help  us  in  eve- 
ry season  of  need.  Amen. 


Rom.  viii.  3^ 

He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give 
us  all  things  P 


OO  bright  and  luminous  are  the  principles  of  heavenly 
wisdom,  that,  like  the  sun,  they  are  seen  by  their  own 
light,  and  may  rather  be  said  to  impart  themselves  to  us 
than  to  be  discovered  by  us.    With  regard  to  eternal 


VOL.  I.  u 


lyO  SERMON  XI. 

things,  the  learned  have  no  advantages  above  the  nn- 
learned.  Neither  the  gifts  of  nature  nor  the  improve- 
ments of  art  confer  any  precedency  in  the  school  of 
Christ.  The  comfort  of  a  Christian  doth  not  depend 
upon  a  process  of  abstract  reasoning,  but  results  imme- 
diately from  the  knowledge  and  belief  of  interesting 
facts  attested  by  God,  and  faithfully  recorded  in  the 
Scriptures  of  truth ;  for  as  it  is  the  will  of  God,  that  all 
the  *'  heirs  of  promise"  should  have  a  "  strong  consola- 
tion," therefore  the  grounds  of  their  consolation  are 
brought  to  the  level  of  the  weakest  capacity,  that  all  his 
children  may  have  equal  access  to  them,  and  feed  like 
brethren  at  one  common  table.  Accordingly,  you  may 
observe,  that,  in  the  passage  I  have  now  read  to  you, 
the  apostle  only  reminds  us  of  what  God  hath  already 
done  for  sinners  of  mankind ;  He  spared  not  Jiis  own 
Son,  but  delivered  Jiim  up  for  us  all.  And  instead  of 
reasoning  in  form,  as  if  the  import  of  this  fact  were  dark 
or  ambiguous,  he  takes  it  for  granted  that  the  most  sim- 
ple and  illiterate  will  perceive  it  at  once;  and  gives  a 
defiance  to  ignorance,  nay  to  distrust  itself,  either  to  per- 
vert its  meaning,  or  to  draw  from  it  any  other  conclusion 
than  v.hat  he  himself  doth; — how  shall  he  not  uith  him 
also  freely  give  us  all  things!  My  present  design  is,  in 
dependauce  upon  divine  aid. 

First.  To  illustrate  this  great  foundation  of  the  Chris- 
tian's hope,  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered 
him  lip  for  us  all;  and  then  to  show,  in  the 

Second  place.  That  the  gift  which  God  hath  already 
bestowed  upon  sinners  of  mankind,  affords  every  sincere 
believer  the  most  absolute  certainty,  that  nothing  shall 
be  withheld  from  him  that  is  necessary  to  make  him 
happy. 

I  begin  with  the  great  foundation  of  the  Christian'.^ 


SERMON  XI.  171 

hope^  which  is  both  the  subject  of  ray  text,  and  the  ob- 
ject presented  to  us  in  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  supper: 
God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for 
us  all. 

Amazing  words!  The  God  in  whom  we  live  and 
move, — the  Father  of  our  spirits,  and  the  former  of  our 
bodies; — ^who  possessed  an  eternity  of  happiness  and 
glory  before  we  began  to  exist,  and  can  neither  be  en- 
riched by  our  services,  nor  impoverished  by  the  want  of 
them : — He  whose  goodness  we  had  abused  by  the  vil- 
est ingratitude ;  whose  omnipotence  we  have  defied  by 
the  most  insolent  rebellion ; — even  that  God  who  ^-spar- 
ed not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but  hath  reserved  them 
in  everlasting  chains,  under  darkness,  to  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day,"  vouchsafed  to  pity  and  to  sjmre  the 
children  of  men :  Nay,  to  make  way  for  the  exercise  of 
this  distinguishing  mercy,  he  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
the  Lord  of  angels,  the  creator  of  worlds;  but,  having 
substituted  him  in  our  place,  clothed  him  with  our  na- 
ture, and  "  laid  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all,"  he 
delivered  him  ujj  to  contempt  and  persecution,  to  agony 
and  torture,  to  death  and  the  grave :  and  all  this  for  our 
benefit,  to  redeem  us  from  everlasting  misery,  and  to  re- 
instate us  in  that  happiness  and  glory  we  had  forfeited. 
These  are  the  marvellous  doings  of  the  Lord,  which  the 
Apostle  here  celebrates  with  gratitude  and  wonder,  as 
the  grounds  of  our  faith)  and  hope,  and  joy. 

But  that  our  thoughts  may  not  wander  in  too  wide  a 
field,  let  us  at  present  confine  them  to  the  following  par- 
ticulars: ist.  The  dignity  of  the  suli'erer;  %dly.  The  suf- 
ferings he  endured;  and  '^dly.  The  persons  for  whom, 
and  the  ends  for  whicli,  he  was  delivered  to  these  suf- 
ferings. In  each  of  these  we  shall  discovi'v  a  convincing 


lya 


SERMON  XI. 


proof  of  the  love  of  God,  a  certain  pledge  of  every  ne- 
cessary blessing. 

ist.  Let  us  consider  the  dignity  of  the  sufferer.  God, 
saith  the  Apostle,  spared  not  his  Son  ; — his  owriy — his 
proper  Son;  "the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person;"'  not  a  son  by  creation,  adop- 
tion, or  grace,  but  his  "  begotten  Son,-'  of  the  same  es- 
sence with  himself,  and  equal  to  him  in  power  and  in 
glory.  Angels  are  called  the  sons  of  God;  "  but  unto 
which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time.  Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  theef'^  Nay,  Christ  is 
styled  the  "•  only  begotten  Son*"  of  God ;  a  title  of  pecu- 
liar signiticancy,  importing,  that  he  is  not  only  infinitely 
great  in  himself,  but  likewise  infinitely  dear  to  the  Fa- 
ther. Yet  this  is  the  person  whom  God  sent  to  save  us; 
and  surely,  if  the  love  of  the  giver  is  to  be  measured  by 
the  worth  and  value  of  the  gift,  we  may  justly  say  of 
God's  love  to  us,  that  "  it  passeth  knowledge.'*'  How  loth 
was  Jacob,  a  fond  and  indulgent  parent  to  all  his  chil- 
dren, how  loth  was  he  to  send  Benjamin  down  to  Egypt, 
even  when  his  own  life,  and  the  preservation  of  his  whole 
family,  seemed  to  depend  upon  it?  yet  Benjamin  was  not 
Lis  only  son ;  Jacob  had  many  other  children  besides : 
but,  behold  !  the  great,  the  independent.  Jehovah,  who 
would  not  suffer  Abraham  to  offer  up  his  Isaac,  but  pro- 
vided and  accepted  a  ram  in  his  place,  gives  his  own, 
his  only  Son,  to  be  a  sacrifice  for  us.  Here  the  object  is 
so  high,  that  contemplation  cannot  reach  it;  so  bright 
and  dazzling,  that  it  overpowers  the  sight :  we  can  only 
say  with  David,  '•  This  is  not  the  manner  of  men,  O 
Lord  God ;"  and  must  with  reverence  adore  what  we 
shall  never  be  able  fully  to  comprehend. 

fldly.  From  the  dignity  of  the  sufferer,  let  us  proceed 
to  consider  the  sufferings  he  endured.   Two  words  are 


SERMON  XI.  173 

employed  by  the  Apostle  to  convey  to  our  minds  a  suit- 
able apprehension  both  of  their  greatness  and  variety. 
God  spared  him  not,  hut  delivered  him  np.  He  spared 
him  not;  that  is,  he  neither  excused  him  from  suffering, 
nor  spared  him  while  he  sutTered ;  he  not  only  put  the 
bitter  cup  into  his  hand,  but  kept  it  there  till  he  Ijad 
drunk  up  tlie  dregs  of  it.  With  what  awful  severity  did 
he  stir  up  his  justice!  "  Awake,  O  sword  !  against  my 
shepherd,  and  against  the  man  that  .is  my  fellow." — 
"  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him,*'  saith  the  evangel- 
ical prophet,  "  and  to  put  him  to  grief."  He  would  not 
abate  one  tear,  one  groan,  one  drop  of  blood,  any  cir- 
'cumstance  either  of  ignominy  or  pain,  tliat  was  necessa- 
ry  to  demonstrate  the  evil  of  sin,  and  to  expiate  that 
guilt  which  Christ,  as  our  Suiety,  had  appropriated  to 
himself.  Thus  God  spared  not  his  own  Son  ;  nay,  in- 
stead of  sparing  him,  the  Apostle  adds, 

He  delivered  him  up.  But  he  dolh  not  say  to  whom,  \ 
or  to  wliat;  because  Christ  was  delivered  into  so  many 
hands,  abandoned  or  given  up  to  such  a  variety  of  suf- 
ferings, that  a  minute  detail  of  them  would  have  obliged 
him  to  recite  the  whole  history  of  his  life;  for  in  every 
period  of  it  "  he  was  apprised  and  afflicted  ;^^  from  his 
birth  to  his  death  "  he  was  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief."  He  was  delivered  first  info  the 
virgin's  womb;  for  even  then,  0  Christians!  did  his 
passion  begin ;  there  was  that  temple  framed,  w^hich  af- 
terwards, by  wicked  hands,  was  pulled  down  on  mount 
Calvary;  there  that  body  was  prepared,  which  was 
scourged,  and  bruised,  and  nailed  to  an  ignominious 
and  accursed  tree.  And  being  thus  made  flesh,  and 
brought  forth  into  the  world,  what  was  his  after  life  but 
a  repeated  delivery  of  him  to  poverty,  to  reproacli,  to 
temptation,  to  persecution : — Such  was  the  pomp,  these 


174  SERMON  XI. 

were  the  harbingers  which  introduced  him  to  the  cross, 
and  accompanied  him  to  the  grave.  "  Deliver  me  not," 
said  David,  "  into  the  hands  of  mine  enemies ;"  and  his 
prayer  was  heard :  But  what  David  obtained  was  with- 
held from  David's  Son  and  Lord;  for  Christ  was  deli- 
vered into  the  hands  of  his  enemies :  He  was  delivered 
to  Judas,  who  betrayed  him;  to  the  chief  priests  and 
rulers,  who  insulted  and  reviled  him ;  to  £(eK@jd  and  his 
men  of  v.ar,  who  "set  him  at  nought;  to  Pilate,'  who  con- 
demned him;  to  the  Roman  soldiers,  who  crucified  him: 
— Nay,  more,  he  was  delivered  to  such  a  sense  of  divine 
wrath,  tiiat  wrath  which  was  due  to  the  sins  of  men,  as, 
in  the  prophetic  language  of  David,  "  withered  his  heart 
like  grass,  and  burnt  up  his  bones  like  a  hearth."  Sin 
is  the  sting  of  death,  but  the  wrath  of  God  is  the  sting 
of  sin.  AVhen  that  seizes  upon  an  awakened  conscience, 
Oh !  what  a  dark  and  disconsolate  night  doth  it  draw 
over  the  sinner's  mind !  or,  rather,  what  a  hell  doth  it 
kindle  in  his  bosom !  Yet  it  doth  not,  it  cannot,  appear 
in  its  full  horror  to  us ;  as  we  see  not  all  the  malignity 
of  sin,  so  neither  can  we  see  all  the  wrath  that  is  due  to 
it:  but  Christ  had  a  full  view  of  both  in  their  utmost  ex- 
tent; and  though  he  could, inot  despair,  for  that  indeed 
was  impossible,  yet  the  agony  he  felt  was  greater  by  far 
than  any  despairing  sinner  is  capable  of  feeling,  who 
bears  only  his  own  burden ;  whereas  he  lay  pressed  un- 
der the  guilt  of  a  whole  world.  It  were  impious  to  say, 
that  the  holy  martyrs  were  more  patient  than  their  Lord ; 
yet  which  of  all  tliat  noble  army  ever  uttered  such  dis- 
consolate language  as  he  did  ?  Their  torture  was  their 
triumph,  their  sufferings  a  recreation  :  Whereas  the  Sou 
of  God  cries  out  in  agony,  "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled, 
and  what  shall  I  say  ?" — ^'  My  God !  my  God !  why 
hast  thou  forsnkcn  me?"  Whence  these  sad  and  mourn- 


SERMON  XI.  175 

ful  complaints?   Did  they  proceed  from  any  defect  of 
magnanimity  and  fortitude?    No,  my  brethren ;  it  was  . 
the  perfection  of  his  mind  that  seemino;ly  enfeebled  him :  \ 
the  boundless  extent  of  his  understanding,  which  com-s 
prehended  the  full  dimensions  of  sin  and  of  wrath,  was  j 
the  sole  cause  of  his  deep  and  unparalleled  distress.  It  < 
was  not  the  shame  nor  the  torment  of  the  cross  that  af- 
flicted him;  the  thieves  who  sujffered  with  him  endured 
the  same  ?,  but  his  soul,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expres- 
sion, was  c.'^icjied  more  than  his  body:  his  heart  had 
sharper  nails  to  pierce  it  than  his  hands  or  his  feet :   in 
his  body  he  felt  the  rage  and  cruelty  of  his  murderers : 
but  in  his  soul  he  felt  sufferings  of  a  more  exquisite  na- 
ture. Then  he  bore  the  griefs,  and  carried  the  sorrows 
of  all  his  people ;  then  he  felt  not  the  sins  only,  but  the 
wounds  also,  of  every  broken  heart,  the  torments  of  his 
martyrs,  the  reproaches  of  his  saints,  the  poverty,  dis- 
tresses, and  persecutions,  which  any,  which  all  of  them, 
have  felt  or  shall  feel,  till  the  last  trumpet  shall  sound, 
and  he  shall  come  again  in  his  glory.  Thus  God  spared 
not  his  own  Son  ;  to  these  inconceivable  sufferings  was 
the  Lord  of  life  delivered.  But  for  whom,  and  for  what 
ends,  did  the  Son  of  God  suffer  ?  This  was  the 

Sd  Thing  I  proposed  to  consider.  And  after  what 
hath  been  already  suggested,  it  is  unnecessary  that  I 
should  spend  much  time  upon  this  head.  It  is  evident 
that  Christ  did  not  suffer  on  his  own  account :  "  He  was 
holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separated  from  sinners.*' 
"  He  did  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  lips," 
He  suffered  in  the  room  of  guilty  man;  he  was  deliver- 
ed/or us,  saith  the  apostle,  not  only  for  our  benefit,  but 
in  our  place:  "  He  was  made  sin  for  us,  wjlio  knew  no 
sin,  tiiat  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him."  He  suffered,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might 


J76  SERMON  XI. 

bring  us  to  God."  Do  you  ask,  Why  God  spared  not 
his  own  son  P  The  answer  is,  That  he  might  spare  us : 
he  delivered  him  up  to  temporal  sufferings,  that  we 
might  be  delivered  from  everlasting  punishment:  "For 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  might  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  Do  you  ask  again.  Who  may 
lay  claim  to  the  benefit  of  this  gift?  1  readily  answer, 
Every  child  of  Adam  without  exception,  who  feels  his 
need  of  a  Saviour,  and  is  willing  to  accept  him  as  he  is 
offered  in  the  gospel.  The  death,  as  well  as  the  birth  of 
Christ,  "  is  good  tidings  of  great  joy  unto  all  people  ;^' 
to  Gentiles  as  well  as  to  Jews;  to  men  of  all  kindreds, 
nations,  and  languages;  to  sinners  of  all  sorts,  the  vilest 
not  excepted ;  '-  He  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  tlie  sin  of  tlie  ivorldJ^  Every  labouring  and  heavy- 
laden  sinner  is  invited  to  come  unto  him;  and  "him 
that  Cometh  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  In  this  sense, 
Christ  is  the  "  Saviour  of  all  men;"  though  I  appre- 
hend, that  as  the  apostle,  in  this  passage,  is  writing  pur- 
posely for  the  comfort  of  real  Christians,  this  assertion, 
ihat  Christ  ivas  delivered  up  for  us  all,  is  chiefly  intend- 
ed to  signify,  that  all  true  bpMevers  have  an  equal  inter- 
est in  this  gift  of  God ;  the  wVakest  as  well  as  the  strong- 
est ;  the  dejected  as  well  as  the  joyful ;  the  convert  of 
yesterday  as  well  as  the  oldest  servant  in  his  family : 
for  the  inference  he  draws  from  it  is  expressly  limited 
to  those  who  have  received  Christ:  How  shall  he  not 
WITH  HIM  Ki.?,o  freely  give  us  all  things? — This  leads 
me  to  the 

Second  branch  of  my  subject ;  which  is  to  show.  That 
the  gift  which  God  hath  already  bestowed  upon  sinners 
of  mankind,  affords  every  sincere  believer  the  most  ab- 


SERMON  XI.  177 

solute  certainty,  that  nothing  shall  be  withheld  from 
him  that  is  necessary  to  make  him  happy. 

The  apostle,  to  give  weight  and  emphasis  to  his  con- 
clusion, puts  it  into  the  form  of  a  question,  How  shall  he 
not  s^ive  ?  It  is  impossible  that  he  should  not  give ; 
darkness  and  light  may  sooner  become  one,  than  that 
God  should  deny  to  believers  in  Christ  aught  that  is 
conducive  to  their  real  felicity.  He  speaks,  you  see,  in 
the  language  of  assurance  and  triumph  :  and  well  he 
might ;  for  if  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  hut  deliver- 
ed him  up  for  us  all,  what  can  be  supposed  to  stop  the 
current  of  his  bounty  ?  Is  there  any  benefit  too  valuable 
for  God  to  bestow? — That  cannot  be  :  the  gift  he  hath 
already  conferred  is  infinitely  more  precious  than  all 
that  remains  to  be  given.  Other  things  may  be  estima- 
ted, but  "the  riches  of  Clirist  are  unsearchable  ;*'  "  Iii 
him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily." 
Shall  the  unworthiness  of  the  creature  restrain  his  mu- 
nificence ?  This  objection  is  fully  obviated  by  the  free 
and  gratuitous  manner  in  which  God  hath  bestowed  his 
"  unspeakable  gift ;"  for  it  is  evident,  that  we  must  have 
been  far  more  unworthy  of  a  Saviour  than  we  possibly 
can  be  of  any  subsequent  favour :  and  seeing  God  spared 
not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  unmer- 
ited, nay,  unsolicited,  what  bounds  can  be  set  to  the 
Christian's  hope?  especially  when  we  consider,  that 
Christ  was  delivered  up  to  sufferings  and  death,  for  this 
very  end,  tliat  he  might  remove  those  obstructions  that 
lay  in  tlie  road  of  mercy,  and  render  the  exercise  of  it 
consistent  wtth  the  honour  of  the  divine  government. — 
The  sacrifice  of  Immanuel  aff'orded  such  a  demonstra- 
tio!i  of  the  unchangeable  holiness  and  justice  of  God, 
t!iat  witliout  staining  the  glory  of  these  perfections,  he 
may  now  dispense  to  penitent  believers  all  tliose  bless- 

A'OL.  I.  X 


i7a  SERMON.  XI. 

ings  their  circumstances  can  require ;  for  wliat  the  apos> 
tie  says  of  the  pardon  of  sin,  (llora.  iii.  25,  S6.)  may 
lawfully  be  extended  to  every  other  benefit :  "  God  bath 
set  forth  his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in 
bis  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sins;  that  he  might  be  J?/sf,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
who  believeth  in  Jesus."  Nay,  my  brethren,  it  is  not 
only  consistent  with  the  justice  of  God,  to  do  good  to 
those  who  believe  in  Jesus ;  but,  I  speak  it  with  rever- 
ence, it  would  be  inconsistent  with  his  justice  to  with- 
hold good  from  them;  for  Christ  hath  actually  purchas- 
ed every  blessing  they  need.  He  was  delivered  up  '^  by 
the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God  ;'^ 
not  casually,  or  unadvisedly,  but  in  consequence  of  a 
previous  agreement  or  covenant;  in  which  he  freely  con- 
sented, on  his  part,  ''  to  make  his  soul  an  oJBTering  for 
sin  ;''  and  the  Father  promised,  that  "  he  should  see  his 
seed  ;"  that  he  should  '*  prolong  his  days  ;"  that  "  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord  should  prosper  in  iiis  hand  ;"  and 
that  he  should  ''•  see  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  sa- 
tisfied." Of  which  solemn  transaction  we  have  an  au- 
thentic copy  recorded  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap,  liii, 
10,  11. 

What  shall  we  then  say  to  these  things? — Hath  God 
already  bestoM  ed  the  greatest  of  all  gifts,  the  unspeak- 
able gift  of  his  own  dear  Son? — Did  he  bestow  it  freely, 
when  there  was  nothing  in  the  creature  to  merit  or  in- 
vite his  love,  but,  on  the  contrary,  every  thing  to  provoke 
his  holy  indignation?  Was  this  gift  designed  to  pave  the 
way  for  other  blessings?  Nay,  further,  were  all  other 
blessings  actually  purchased  by  the  infinite  sacrifice  of 
this  divine  Saviour?  How  firm  then  is  the  foundation  of 
the  Christian's  hope?  With  what  humble,  yet  triumph- 
ant confidence,  may  the  believer  adopt  the  words  of  my 


SERMON  XI.  179 

text,  and  put  the  question,  against  all  doubts,  all  fears, 
all  temptations  that  may  assail  liira,  He  that  spared  not 
his  own  Soiif  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
he  not  ivith  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things? 

But  we  have  not  yet  examined  tlic  grant  itself.  Shall 
I  say  the  contents  of  it  are  large?  The  expression  is  too 
feeble;  my  brethren,  they  are  boundless,  they  are  infi- 
nite: these  two  words,  all  things,  comprehend  both  liea- 
ven  and  earth  in  their  bosom ;  and  thus  they  are  explain- 
ed by  this  same  apostle,  (I  Cor.  iii.  2!.)  "All  things 
are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the 
world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to 
come;  all  are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's;  and  Christ  is 
God's."  And  is  the  world  too  a  part  of  the  Ciiristian's 
portion?  Yes,  my  friends.  But  then  it  is  the  world  con- 
quered by  faith,  and  '*  crucified  to  us  by  the  cross"  of 
our  Redeemer.  "  The  lust  of  the  eye,  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  and  the  pride  of  life,"  are  no  parts  of  that  world 
whereof  the  apostle  there  speaks,  except  it  be  in  thia 
sense,  that  they  are  subdued  and  mortified.  Christ  did 
not  submit  to  hunger  and  thirst  that  we  might  riot  in 
luxury;  he  did  not  become  poor  that  we  might  possess 
great  estates ;  he  did  not  stoop  to  ignominy  and  to  death, 
that  we  might  be  dignified  with  worldly  honours.  These 
are  not  inoluded  among  the  all  things  in  my  text.  The 
truth  is,  they  hardly  deserve  the  name  of  things^  they 
are  mere  ciphers,  the  creatures  of  opinion  and  fancy, 
which  have  no  significancy,  no  price,  but  what  mistake 
and  delusion  have  wantonly  set  upon  them.  Our  inheri- 
tance then  is  not  diminished  when  all  these  are  left  out; 
nor  hath  the  Christian  any  inducement  to  vitiate  his 
charter,  by  interlining  it  with  those  carnal  additions 
which  a  vain  imagination  is  too  apt  to  suggest.  With 
Christ  he  hath  all  things  wliich  are  subs"rvient  to  the 


180  SERMON  XI. 

purposes  for  which  Christ  was  delivered:  pardon  to  re- 
move his  guilt;  grace  to  aid  him  in  the  performance  of 
duty ;  comfort  to  support  him  under  the  pressure  of  af- 
fliction; every  needful  supply  during  his  journey  through 
this  world,  and  immortal  life  and  happiness  in  the  next. 
Hath  not  the  Ciiristiau  then  "  a  goodly  heritage,"  who 
hath  God  and  the  creature,  grace  and  glory,  time  and 
eternity  ;  who  is  safe  among  enemies  as  well  as  among 
friends ;  who  lives  in  communion  with  God  on  earth, 
and  shall  dwell  with  him  in  heaven  for  evermore  ?  Say, 
O  Christians,  hath  such  a  man  reason  to  complain  of 
his  portion  ? 

But  let  it  be  observed,  that  all  these  things  arc  given 
tvith  Christ :  his  person  and  his  benefits  can  never  be 
divided.  This  is  the  order  which  God  hath  established  ; 
— He  first  gives  us  his  own  Son  :  and  when  that  un- 
speakable gift  is  thankfully  received,  then,  together  with 
his  SoTif  he  freely  gives  us  all  other  things.  But  with- 
out him,  we  have  no  right  to  any  thing  we  possess ;  the 
food  we  eat,  the  raiment  we  put  on,  are  not  ours  :  we 
are  usurpers,  we  are  robbers ;  and  as  such,  shall  be  se- 
verely reckoned  with  at  last. — This  shall  be  the  con- 
demnation of  unbelievers  at  the  great  day,  that  they 
fraudulently  seized  upon  their  Master's  goods,  and  re- 
jected the  Saviour,  through  whom  alone  they  could  have 
obtained  a  righteous  title  to  them  :  and  their  condemna- 
tion shall  be  the  heavier  upon  this  account,  that  the  Sa- 
viour was  in  their  ofTer,  and  with  him  a  full  right  to  ev- 
ery benefit  they  enjoyed.  Think  of  this,  ye  who  forget 
God,  and  have  hitherto  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  calls  of 
his  grace. — And, 

Let  those  who  have  complied  with  the  gospel- invita- 
tion, and  tliankfuUy  accepted  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
take  comfort  from  what  has  been  spoken  upon  this  sub- 


SERMON  XIL  181 

ject,  aud  approach  the  table  of  the  Lord  with  enlarged 
expectations  of  obtaining  all  that  is  necessary  to  render 
them  truly  happy.  God  perfectly  knoweth  what  we  stand 
most  in  need  of:  he  knoweth  whether  health  or  sickness, 
riches  or  poverty  ;  whether  cordials  to  cherish,  or  medi- 
cines of  a  diflerent  operation,  are  best  for  us.  Willi  re- 
spect to  these,  it  is  our  duty  and  our  interest  to  subject 
our  choice  entirely  to  his  pleasure.  Tliis  should  be  our 
chief,  our  only  care,  to  renew  from  tiie  heart  our  tiiank- 
ful  acceptance  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  then  we 
may  be  assured  that  nothing  can  come  amiss  to  us  :  For 
he  that  spared  vot  his  oivn  Son,  hut  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all,  shall  certainly  ivith  him  also  freely  give  us 
all  things.  Amen. 


Romans  viii.  31. 

What  shall  we  then  say  to  these  things  ?  If  God  be  for 
us,  who  can  be  against  us  P 


JL  HIS  chapter  contains  a  large  and  animated  detail  of 
the  privileges  that  belong  to  believers  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 
and  lays  open  those  springs  of  true  consolation  with 
which  the  gospel-covenant  is  plentifully  stored.  No- 
thing is  wanting  that  our  present  condition  renders  ne- 
cessary or  desirable  ;  a  suitable  and  an  effectual  remedy 
is  provided  both  for  our  guilt  and  pollution.  No  sin  can 
exceed  the  merit  of  a  Redeemers  blood ;  no  lust  can 


18S  SERMON  XII. 

withstand  the  power  of  his  victorious  grace ;  so  that  we 
may  justly  adopt  the  words  of  the  returning  prodigal, 
and  say,  as  he  did,  that  '^  in  our  Father's  house  there  is 
bread  enough  and  to  spare." 

In  the  two  preceding  verses,  the  Apostle  leads  us  up. 
ward  to  the  source  and  fountain  of  all  those  blessings  we 
presently  possess,  or  hope  to  enjoy  ;  namely,  the  eternal 
love  of  an  unchangeable  God.  It  was  his  self-moving 
goodness  that  prompted  him  to  devise  the  method  of  our 
recovery  ;  and  the  scheme  is  so  widely  laid,  so  complete 
and  finished  in  all  its  parts,  that  no  power  or  policy  can 
defeat  the  execution  of  it :  "  For  whom  God  did  fore- 
know, he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among 
many  brethren.  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate, 
them  he  also  called  ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also 
justified  ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified." 
So  that  the  man  whom  God  hath  "  called  by  his  grace," 
is  just  as  safe  as  Omnipotence  can  make  him.  Looking 
backward  to  God^'s  purpose  before  time  commenced,  and 
forward  to  the  glory  that  awaits  him  when  time  shall  be 
no  more,  he  may  boldly  bid  defiance  to  every  adverse 
powder,  saying,  in  the  triumphant  language  of  this  Apos- 
tle, "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's 
elect  ?"  and,  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God  ?" 

The  words  I  am  to  discourse  upon,  present  the  in- 
spired author  to  our  view  in  a  very  striking  and  agree- 
able light.  Transported  and  overpowered  with  the  great- 
ness of  the  subject,  lie  makes  a  sudden  and  solemn 
pause;  and  then  asks  the  question.  What  shall  we  say 
to  these  things?  Nothing  can  be  said  against  them; 
and  it  is  impossible  to  exceed  in  their  just  commenda- 
tion.  What  then  shall  we  say  to  them  ?  What  use  shall 


SERMON  XII.  183 

we  make  of  these  comfortable  truths  ?  or  what  conclu- 
sion shall  we  draw  from  them  ?  This  I  take  to  be  the 
true  meaning  of  the  question.  And  an  important  ques- 
tion it  is  :  Blessed  be  God,  who  put  into  the  heart  of 
his  servant  both  to  propose  and  answer  it.  Well,  then, 
what  doth  a  St.  Paul  sajj  to  these  things?  or  rather  what 
answer  doth  the  Spirit  of  God  indite?  Let  every  believer 
in  Christ  listen  with  joy,  and  apply  it  to  himself,  If  God 
be  for  lis  who  can  be  against  iisP 

As  the  Apostle,  through  the  whole  of  this  chapter, 
speaks  in  the  character  of  an  assured  Christian,  the 
word  if  cannot  be  supposed  to  imply  any  doubtfulness 
or  uncertainty  about  the  truth  of  the  proposition  to 
which  it  relates ;  but  rather  taketh  it  for  granted,  and 
is  of  the  same  import  as  though  the  Apostle  had  ex- 
pressed himself  thus  :  Seeing  that  God  is  for  us :  And 
therefore,  instead  of  proving  what  none  will  deny, 
namely,  that  this  privilege  doth  really  belong  to  sanc- 
tified believers,  I  shall  rather,  in  t\i&  first  place,  briefly 
unfold  its  meaning  and  worth ;  and  then  shew,  in  the 
second  place,  what  a  solid  foundation  it  lays  for  the  joy- 
ful conclusion,  or  rather  the  triumphant  challenge,  in 
the  close  of  the  verse,  Who  can  be  against  us  ? 

I  begin  with  unfolding  the  privilege  itself,  God  is  for 
lis.  And  it  necessarily  implies,  that 

God  is  our  friend.  This  is  the  very  lowest  sense  the 
words  will  bear ;  and  yet,  my  brethren,  who  can  tell, 
nay,  who  can  conceive  the  importance  and  worth  of  this 
single  blessing  ?  To  be  in  a  state  of  favour  with  the 
greatest  and  the  best  of  Beings,  the  Father  of  our  spirits 
too,  upon  whom  we  constantly  depend  for  life  and  all 
things;  how  delightful  the  thought !  How  dismal  to  sup- 
pose ourselves  in  the  opposite  condition  !  As  I  speak  at 
present  to  real  Christians  only,  I  need  not  enlarge  upon 


l^^  SERMON  XTI, 

this  branch  of  your  happiness.  Many  of  you,  doubtless;, 
can  remember  the  time  when,  lying  under  the  sense  of 
unpardoned  guilt,  and  the  fearful  apprehensions  of  de- 
served wrath,  you  would  have  parted  with  ten  thousand 
worlds  like  this,  for  one  ray  of  God's  countenance,  for 
the  remotest  hint  of  pardon  and  acceptance.  Such,  I 
know,  will  require  no  commendation  of  the  divine 
friendship:  You  have  already  learned  from  experience, 
the  surest  and  most  convincing  teacher,  that  no  enjoy- 
ment is  comparable  to  the  assurance  of  God's  love ;  nay, 
that  all  other  enjoyments  are  tasteless,  or  rather  bitter, 
without  it. 

But  the  expression  carries  in  it  a  higher  meaning  than 
this :  It  not  only  imports  that  God  is  reconciled  to  us, 
but  that  he  likewise  taketh  our  part,  and  is  active  for 
our  good.  God  is  for  us;  that  is,  he  is  on  our  side,  and 
employs  all  his  perfections  for  our  safety  and  happiness. 
He  not  only  graciously  forgives  what  hath  formerly  been 
done  by  us  against  himself;  but,  as  far  as  can  consist 
with  the  perfection  and  happiness  of  his  nature,  he  feels 
and  resents  Vv'hat  by  others  is  at  any  time  done  against 
us,  *'  He  that  toucheth  you,*'  saith  he,  '^  toucheth  the 
apple  of  mine  eye.''  And  what  shall  we  think  of  this? 
Balaam  could  say,  "  Surely  there  is  no  enchantment 
against  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  divination  against  Is- 
rael f  for  *^  the  Lord  his  God  is  with  him,  and  the  shout 
of  a  king  is  among  them."  Yet  this  privilege  is  common 
to  all  believers  in  Christ:  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  their 
guardian  as  well  as  their  friend;  he  chargeth  himself 
with  th'-ir  protection  ;  he  adopts  them  into  his  family; 
and  not  only  digniQes  them  with  the  title  of  children, 
but  doth  likewise  enrich  them  witli  all  the  immunities 
and  privileges  which  that  high  and  endearing  appella- 
tion imports.  And  what  may  they  not  expect  from  such 


SERMON  Xlt.  1$3 

a  Father?  whose  wisdom  is  infiaite,  whose  power  is  ir- 
resistible, whose  ^*  mercy  is  everlasting,"  and  whose 
"  truth  endureth  to  all  generations.'*  And  when  I  men- 
tion the  truth  of  God,  this  leads  me  to  observe  another 
important  sense,  in  whicii  it  may  be  justly  said  that 
God  is  for  us;  namely, 

That  he  is  our  God  in  covenant,  and  hath  pledged  his 
veracity  and  fjiithfulness  for  every  blessing  our  circum- 
stances cKn  require.  It  is  comfortable  to  know  that  God 
is  not  only  reconciled  to  us,  but  that  he  likewise  taketh 
our  part,  and  is  active  for  our  good.    Nevertheless,  as 
that  jealousy  which  is  inseparable  from  a  consciousness 
of  guilt  might  still  suggest  to  us,  that  some  unforeseen 
cause  may  throw  us  out  of  his  protection;  therefore, 
"  God  being  willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the 
heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  hath  con- 
firmed it  by  an  oath;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in 
which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have 
a  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold 
upon  the  hope  set  before  us.''    God  hath  not  left  us  to 
spell  out  our  privileges,  or  to  reason  ourselves  into  the 
hope  of  good  things ;  he  hath  plainly  told  us  what  is  in 
his  heart;  he  hath  put  his  merciful  designs  into  the  form 
of  a  covenant,  and  expressed  them  in  a  variety  of  gra- 
cious  promises;  by  the  help  of  which  we  may  lay  hold 
upon  his  truth,  and  plead  the  honour  of  the  Godhead 
for  every  blessing  we  need.  Nay,  this  covenant  is  seal- 
ed with  the  blood  of  his  own  Son ;  upon  which  account 
it  sometimes  gets  the  name  of  a  Testament;  that  is,  an 
irrevocable  deed,  made  sure   and  unalterable  by  the 
death  of  the  testator.    Hereby  the  firmest  foundation  is 
laid  for  our  faith  and  hope ;  and  that  our  joy  may  be  full, 
he  hath  instituted  tlie  holy  sacrament  of  the  supper, 
wherein  visible  pledges  of  his  love  are  put  into  our 

VOL.   T.  Y 


i86  SERMON  XII. 

hands,  and  by  bread  and  wine,  tlie  appointed  symbols  of 
the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  our  Redeemer, 
Christ,  and  all  the  benefits  of  his  purchase,  are  repre- 
sented, sealed,  and  applied  to  believers. 

These  few  hints  may  serve  to  give  you  some  view 
both  of  the  meaning  and  worth  of  this  important  privi- 
lege :  God  is  for  us:  he  is  our  friend:  he  is  on  our  side; 
he  is  our  God  in  covenant,  and  hath  given  us  every  kind 
of  security  our  hearts  could  desire,  for  whatever  is  con- 
ducive to  our  real  interest.  Tu  all,  and  in  each  of  these 
respects,  may  the  Christian  say,  that  God  is  for  him. 
Let  us  now  consider,  in  the 

Second  place.  The  consequence  of  this  privilege,  or 
the  joyful  conclusion  which  the  Apostle  draws  from  it. 
Who  can  be  against  usP 

It  is  expressed,  you  see,  in  the  form  of  a  question  or 
challenge.  St.  Paul,  in  the  name  of  all  true  believers, 
gives  a  bold  defiance  to  earth  and  hell,  and  triumphs  in 
the  assurance  of  their  safety  and  happiness.  The  ques- 
tion doth  not  imply,  tliat  they  who  have  God  on  their 
side,  shall  have  no  enemies  at  all ;  such  an  immunity 
would  be  inconsistent  with  a  state  of  trial,  and  the  Scrip- 
tures give  us  no  v/arrant  to  expect  any  thing  of  this  kind ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  assure  us,  that  "  through  much  tri- 
bulation we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Our 
adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walkcth  about, 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  ^'  We  wrestle  not  only 
against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities  and 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
and  against  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places.'*  And 
as,  in  the  days  of  Abraham,  ''  he  that  was  born  after  the 
llesh,  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  spirit;  even 
so  it  is  now."  Nor  shall  this  warfare  cease  till  that  great 
day  of  the  Lord  come,  when  ^^  all  his  enemies  shall  be 


SERMON  XIL  187 

made  his  footstool."  But  the  question,  or  defiance,  may 
lawfully  be  considered  as  importing  the  following  parti- 
culars. 

ist.  That  none  shall  he  against  us  whose  favour  is 
desirable. 

That  the  children  of  God  too  frequently  fall  out  among 
themselves,  and  squabble  in  the  dark,  is  a  melancholy 
truth;  and  that  these  contentions  are  unseeml}''  and  hurt- 
ful things,  cannot  be  denied :  But  a  little  more  day-light 
M'onld  soon  put  an  end  to  the  scuffle,  make  them  asham- 
ed of  their  mistakes,  and  unite  them  in  the  bonds  of  an 
everlasting  friendship.  The  persons  I  speak  of  are  they 
who  are  enemies  to  believers  as  such ;  and  of  them  I  say, 
that  their  favour  is  not  vvortliy  to  be  coveted,  neither  doth 
the  want  of  it  deserve  to  be  regretted.  What  regard  is 
due  to  the  judgment  of  those  who  are  so  blind,  that  they 
see  no  beauty  in  the  infinitely  perfect  God  himself?  es- 
pecially when  their  enmity  against  us  is  only  the  natu- 
ral effect  of  this  woful  stupidity ;  according  to  that  as- 
sertion of  the  apostle  John,  "Therefore  the  world  know- 
eth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not."  '•  If  the  world  hate 
you,"  saith  our  Lord,  "ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before 
it  hated  you.  If  ye  w  ere  of  the  world,  the  world  would 
love  his  own ;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but 
I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you."  And  ought  any  wise  man  to  be  disquieted 
on  that  account?  Nay,  ray  brethren,  did  we  view  our 
enemies  in  this  light,  we  sliould  look  upon  them  as  ob- 
jects of  pity,  rather  than  of  fear  or  resentment ;  and  aiiy 
little  hurt  they  could  do  to  us,  would  scarcely  be  felt, 
whilst  we  tliought  of  the  infinitely  greater  mischief  they 
were  doing  to  themselves. 

2dlu.  If  God  be  for  us,  icho  can  prevail  against  iisP 
Who  shall  be  able  totallv  to  subdue  us,  to  deprive  us  of 


13S  SERMON  XII. 

the  glory  and  happiness  we  look  for?  Indeed,  if  the  safe- 
ty of  believers  depended  on  their  own  ability  to  keep 
hold  of  God ;  if  they  were  left,  as  it  were,  to  hang  upon 
liiui  by  the  mere  strength  of  their  own  arms ;  a  little 
force  or  cunning  might  soon  loosen  their  grasp,  and  pull 
them  away  from  him.  But  herein,  my  brethren,  lies  their 
security,  an  omnipotent  God  keepeth  fast  hold  of  them; 
they  are  committed  to  that  good  Sliepherd  "  who  gath- 
ers the  lambs  with  his  arms,  and  carries  them  in  his  bo- 
som, and  gently  leads  those  that  are  with  young  •/*'  Tiiey 
are  joined  to  God  by  the  bond  of  an  "  everlasting  cove- 
nant, ordered  in  all  things  and  sure;''  and  they  who 
would  attempt  to  tear  them  from  him,  must  first  of  all 
make  void  that  covenant,  reverse  the  unchangeable  pur- 
pose of  God,  and  oblige  the  Almighty  to  resign  his  pow- 
er. Such  is  the  desperate  enlerprize  in  which  the  ene- 
mies of  God's  children  are  engaged ;  it  is  not  the  crea- 
ture, but  the  Creator  they  have  to  cope  with ;  Jchovali 
himself  must  be  overcome,  before  the  weakest  believer 
can  fall  into  their  hands.  Justly  then  might  tlie  Apostle 
say,  as  in  the  close  of  this  chapter,  "  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress, 
or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or 
sword?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  con- 
querors through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded, 
that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities, 
nor  powers,  nor  tilings  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able 
to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord."  Nay,  my  text  will  allow  us  to  ad- 
vance a  step  farther,  and  to  say,  in  the 

3d  place.  If  God  he  for  us,  who  shall  be  able  to  do 
'US  any  material  hurt  in  the  mean  time?  To  be  assured 
{)f  final  salvation,  is  indeed  an  unspeakable  blessing;  to 


SERMON  XU.  189 

know  that  our  enemies  shall  not  totally  prevail  against 
us,  is  a  desirable  privilege ;  yet  a  great  addition  would 
be  made  to  our  comfort,  could  we  also  be  assured,  that 
their  malice  and  enmity,  instead  of  hurting  us,  shall  con- 
tribute as  means  to  promote  our  true  interest.  Well, 
then,  the  Apostle,  under  the  direction  of  God's  unerring 
Spirit,  hath  asserted  this  in  the  strongest  and  most  ab- 
jolute  terms :  "  We  know,''  saith  he  at  the  28th  verse 
of  this  chapter;  we  do  not  barely  hope,  but  "  we  know, 
that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  pur- 
pose." Satan  endeavours  to  blow  out  the  spark  of  grace; 
but  instead  of  that  he  kindles  it  into  a  flame,  and  only 
blows  away  the  ashes  that  covered  it.  He  plieth  the 
saints  with  his  fiery  darts ;  but  instead  of  killing  them, 
he  renders  them  more  expert  in  the  art  of  defence,  teach- 
eth  them  the  use  of  "  the  shield  of  faith,"  and  the  other 
parts  of  their  spiritual  armour.  In  short,  God  efixictually 
baffles  every  attempt  of  their  enemies  :  He  "^  beats  their 
swords  into  plough-shares,  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing-hooks ;"  that  is,  he  converts  their  hostile  weapons 
into  instruments  of  husbandry,  for  the  culture  and  im- 
provement of  his  people,  that  in  greater  abundance  they 
may  bring  forth  "  those  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
are,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  his  praise  and  glory." 

Thus  have  I  opened  the  joyful  import  of  this  ques- 
tion, or  challenge.  If  God  be  for  us^  ivlio  can  he  against 
us?  And  in  the  review  of  all  that  hath  been  said,  can  we 
forbear  to  cry  out  with  the  holy  Psalmist,  "  Happy  is 
the  people  that  is  in  such  a  case;  yea,  happy  is  that 
people  whose  God  is  the  Lord!  What  I  further  intend 
is,  to  give  you  a  few  plain  and  necessary  directions 
about  the  use  you  ought  to  make  of  this  comfortable  sub- 
ject. 


190  SERMON  XII. 

But  before  I  proceed  to  these,  compassion  to  the  souls 
of  some  who  may  be  hearing  me,  obliges  me  to  set  be- 
fore you  a  very  dilferent  prospect,  by  invertiug  the  ques- 
tion, and  putting  it  in  this  form  : 

If  God  he  against  us,  who  can  be  for  us  f 
*^  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple,  the  Lord's  throne 
is  in  heaven  :  his  eyes  behold,  his  eye-lids  try,  the  chil- 
dren of  men.  The  Lord  trieth  the  righteous :  but  the 
wicked,  and  him  that  loveth  violence,  his  soul  hateth. 
Upon  the  wicked  he  shall  rain  snares,  fire  and  brim- 
stone, and  an  horrible  tempest :  this  shall  be  the  portion 
of  their  cup."  "  Thine  hand  shall  find  out  all  thine  en- 
emies,** saith  the  Psalmist ;  "  thy  right  hand  shall  find 
out  those  that  hate  thee :  thou  shalt  make  them  as  a  fie- 
ry oven  in  the  time  of  thine  anger;  the  Lord  shall  swal- 
low them  up  in  liis  wrath,  and  the  fire  shall  devour 
them."  How  awful  are  these  words,  uttered  by  God 
himself!  "  I,  even  I,  am  he,  and  there  is  no  God  with 
me :  I  kill,  and  I  make  alive ;  I  wound,  and  I  heal ; 
neither  is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  ray  hand. 
For  I  lift  up  my  hand  to  heaven,  and  say,  I  live  fore- 
ver. If  1  whet  my  glittering  sword,  and  mine  hand  take 
hold  on  judgment;  I  will  render  vengeance  to  mine  ene- 
mies, and  will  reward  them  that  hate  me;  I  will  make 
mine  arrows  drunk  with  blood."  And  "Can  you  stand 
before  his  indignation?  Can  you  abide  in  the  fierceness 
of  his  anger,  when  his  fury  is  poured  forth  like  fire,  and 
the  rocks  are  thrown  down  by  him?"  Consider  this,  ye 
tliat  forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces  when  there 
shall  bo  none  to  deliver.  Who  can  make  you  happy  if 
God  pronounce  you  miserable?  Who  can  give  quiet- 
ness, if  he  cause  trouble  ?  Who  can  screen  you  from  his 
justice?  And,  Oh!  who  can  support  you  under  the 
weight  of  his  vengeance?  For  the  Lord's  sake,  take  a 


SERMON  XII.  191 

serious  view  of  your  condition  ;  and  then  turn  your  eyes 
to  that  compassionate  liedeemer,  whose  arms  are  yet 
extended  to  embrace  you  :  Flee  speedily  to  him  as  your 
only  sanctuary :  let  the  earth  be  acquainted  with  your 
bended  knees ;  let  the  air  be  acquainted  with  your  fer- 
vent supplications,  till  you  have  reason  to  conclude,  that 
you  are  vitally  united  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
'^  of  God  is  made,"  unto  all  who  believe  in  Iiim,  "  wis- 
dom, and  righteousness,  and  saetification,  and  redemp- 
tion." 

As  for  you  who  are  Christians  indeed,  to  whom  all 
the  comfort  of  this  text  belongs,  let  me  beg  your  atten- 
tion to  a  few  necessary  advices,  with  which  I  shall  con- 
clude this  discourse, 

ist.  Beware  of  despising  your  enemies  ;  for  that  shall 
betray  you  into  security  and  carelessness.  Remember, 
that  however  weak  they  are  in  comparison  with  God, 
yet  in  themselves  they  are  strong  and  formidable  ;  inso- 
much, that  were  God  to  look  on,  and  leave  you  to  your 
own  defence,  you  should  quickly  and  easily  be  over- 
matched. In  other  armies,  the  strength  of  the  general, 
consisteth  in  the  number  and  valour  of  his  troops;  but 
in  the  Christian  array,  the  strength  of  the  whole  host, 
and  every  soldier  in  particular,  lies  in  him  who  is  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  We  ought  therefore  to  maintain  an  habi- 
tual jealousy  of  ourselves  :  we  are  never  in  greater  dan- 
ger than  when  we  are  most  confident  that  we  are  out  of 
danger  ;  so  that  the  caution  which  the  Apostle  gave  to 
the  Gentile  converts  is  always  in  season  :  ^'  Be  not  high 
minded,  but  fear :"  and  again,  "  Let  him  that  thinketh 
lie  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall.''  At  the  same  time, 
though  you  must  not  despise  your  enemies,  yet  neither, 
in  the 

2^  place,  Ought  you  to  be  afraid  of  them.  The  true 


192  SERMON  xir. 

Christian  temper  lies  ia  the  just  medium,  betwixt  these 
oi)posite  extremes  :  and  therefore  we  are  exhorted,  not 
only  "  to  watch,"  but  also  *•  to  quit  ourselves  like  men  ;" 
^'  to  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ;" 
and  to  be  ^^  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  tlie  power  of  his 
might." — "Fear  not,"  saith  God,  "  for  I  am  with  thee ; 
be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God  :  I  will  strengthen 
thee  ;  yea,  I  will  help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with 
the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness."  After  this  encour- 
aging manner  doth  God  speak  to  his  children.  Nay,  he 
cliides  them  when  they  betray  the  least  timorousness  in 
his  service  ;  as  in  Isaiah,  (chap.  li.  IS,.  13.)  "  Who  art 
thou,  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall 
die,  and  of  the  son  of  man  which  shall  be  made  as  grass? 
and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  Maker,  that  hath  stretched 
forth  the  heavens,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth? 
and  hast  feared  continually  every  day,  because  of  the 
fury  of  the  oppressor,  as  if  he  were  ready  to  destroy  ? 
And  where  is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor?"  Hear  how 
David  triumphs  in  the  assurance  of  his  safety,  upon 
grounds  which  are  common  to  all  believers  in  Christ : 
"  The  Lord  is  my  light  and  ray  salvation  ;  whom  shall 
I  fear?  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life  ;  of  whom 
shall  I  be  afraid  ?  Thougli  an  host  sliould  encamp  against 
me,  ray  lieart  shall  not  fear ;  though  war  should  rise 
against  me,  in  this  will  I  be  confident."  Let  the  wicked 
tremble;  they  have  reason  to  do  so;  but  '^  let  the  heart 
of  every  one  rejoice  that  seeks  the  Lord."  Victory  is  in- 
siired  to  you ;  the  great  "  Captain  of  salvation"  hath 
already  conquered  all  your  enemies,  and  ere  long  he 
shall  return,  and  bring  you  with  singing  into  the  hea- 
venly Zion  ;  then  sliall  yon  obtain  gladness  and  joy, 
and  sorrow  and  mourning  shall  flee  away.  But  as  the 
strength  by  wliich  you  must  overcome  is  not  your  own/ 


SERMON  XII.  198 

tliis  makes  it  necessary  that  I  direct  and  exhort  you,  in 
the 

Sd  place,  To  depend  upon  God,  and  to  walk  closely 
with  him.  For  this  end,  "  abide  in  Christ,''  fur  there  it 
is  alone  that  God  and  sinners  can  meet  as  friends.  "  God 
is  in  Christ,^^  saith  the  apostle  Paul,  *»  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself."  Indeed  he  is  no  where  else  in  the 
character  of  a  reconciler ;  and  consequently,  if  we  wish 
to  dwell  under  his  shadow,  it  is  necessary  that  we  be  in 
Christ  also.  This  was  one  of  the  solemn  advices  which 
our  Lord  gave  to  his  disciples  a  little  before  his  death; 
"Abide  in  me;'' — "  as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of 
itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye  except 
ye  abide  in  me ;"  for  "  without  me,"  or  separated  from 
me,  "  ye  can  do  nothing."  In  the 

^th  and  last  place.  Seeing  God  is  for  us,  let  us  he  for 
him;  let  us  appear  openly  on  his  side,  and  act  with  re- 
solution and  vigour  in  his  service.  God  can  do  his  work 
without  us;  he  stands  in  no  need  of  our  assistance;  yet 
such  is  his  condescension,  that  he  invites  us  to  the  hon- 
our of  being  "workers  together  with  himself."  And  what 
can  fire  our  ambition  if  this  do  not?  He  is  just  now  call- 
ing aloud,  both  by  his  word  and  by  his  providence, 
"  Who  will  rise  up  for  me  against  the  evil  doers?  Who 
will  stand  up  for  me  against  the  workers  of  iniquity?" 
O !  let  each  of  us  make  haste  to  reply  with  the  evangeli- 
cal prophet,  "  Here  am  I,  send  me."  At  the  same  time, 
let  us  echo  back  the  call,  and  humbly  expostulate  with 
him  in  the  words  which  his  own  Spirit  hath  dictatcil ; 
"  Arise,  O  Lord,  and  plead  thine  own  cause ;  remember 
how  the  foolish  man  reproacheth  thee  daily."  "  It  is  time 
for  thee  to  work,  for  they  have  made  void  thy  law." 
Thus  doth  God  permit  us  to  remind  him  of  his  own  in- 
terest, while  we  ourselves  are  in  a  posture  for  active  ser- 

VOL.  I;  z 


494  SERMON  XIII. 

vice ;  and  such  pleadings  are  highly  pleasing  and  accept- 
able. Let  US  then,  my  bretlijen,  in  our  respective  sta- 
tions, do  what  in  us  lies  to  advance  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  in  the  world,  and  to  bear  down  every  thing  that 
stands  in  opposition  to  it.  Let  the  "  righteous  be  bold 
as  lions;"  and  then  may  we  hope  that  "^Iniquity,"  as 
ashamed,  shall  hide  her  head,  and  "  stop  her  mouth.'' 
At  any  rate,  "  our  record  shall  be  on  high,"  and  "  our 
reward  with  our  God."  He  will  receive  us  unto  himself 
*^  in  that  day  when  he  maketh  up  his  jewels;"  and  then 
shall  an  everlasting  distinction  be  made  *'  between  tho 
righteous  and  the  wicked ;  between  him  that  serveth 
God  and  him  that  serveth  him  not."  Amen. 


Luke  xii.  35,  36,  37. 

Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning; 
and  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their 
Lord,  ivhen  he  will  return  from  the  wedding;  that 
when  he  cometh  and  knocleth,  they  may  open  to  him 
immediately.  Blessed  are  those  servants  ivhom  the 
Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  watching:  verily  1 
say  unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  himself,  and  make 
them  sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve 
them. 


J.  HE  obvious  design  of  this  passage  is,  to  excite  us  to 
a  serious  consideration  about  the  awful  solemnities  of 
death  and  judgment.  We  are  here  directed  to  consider 


SERMON  Xni,  195 

ourselves  as  servants  who  have  a  master  in  heaven ;  of 
whose  return  we  have  the  strongest  assurance,  but  are 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  precise  time  of  his  coming;  and 
therefore  it  is  both  our  duty  and  our  interest  to  be  al- 
ways on  our  guard,  and  in  a  fit  posture  to  receive  him; 
the  happy  consequence  of  which  shall  be,  that  our  Lord 
will  not  only  approve  of  our  prudent  and  zealous  con- 
cern to  please  him,  but  he  will  even  delight  to  honour 
us;  he  will  not  deal  with  us  as  servants,  but  as  friends; 
and  will  bestow  upon  us  a  reward  infinitely  beyond  what 
any  services  could  entitle  us  to.  So  that  here  we  have  a 
short,  but  comprehensive  account  of  the  Christian's  work 
and  recompense;  our  duty  and  encouragement  are  both 
set  before  us. 

Our  duty  is  represented,  by  the  diligent  care  of  ser- 
vants to  have  every  thing  in  readiness  for  the  reception 
of  their  absent  master.  As  the  Jews,  and  other  eastern 
people,  commonly  wore  long  and  loose  garments,  it  was 
necessary,  when  they  had  any  thing  to  do  which  requir- 
ed strength  or  agility,  that  they  should  tuck  them  up, 
and  gird  them  close  about  them ;  now,  says  our  Saviour, 
in  allusion  to  this,  let  your  loins  he  girded  about;  that 
is,  lay  aside  every  thing  that  may  entangle  you  in  your 
"Work:  let  your  lights  be  continually  burningy  and  ye 
yourselves,  in  every  other  respect,  like  servants  who  are 
anxious  to  please  their  Lord,  and  to  be  found  diligent 
in  their  proper  business,  at  whatever  hour  he  shall  come ; 
that,  xvhen  he  knocketh,  you  may  be  ready  to  give  him 
present  admittance,  and  not  to  be  surprised  in  any  dis- 
order. 

The  reward  of  the  diligent  and  faithful  servant  is  de- 
scribed in  the  same  allegorical  manner;  verily,  says  he, 
when  their  master  returns,  and  finds  them  thus  employ- 
ed, he  will  bestow  upon  them  some  extraordinary  marks 


49&  SERMON  XIII. 

of  honour  anrl  regard.  He  will  not  consider  them  as 
mere  servants  '^  who  have  done  no  more  than  was  their 
duty,"  but  will  advance  them  to  the  rank  of  friends;  he 
will  entertain  them  in  the  most  liberal  and  gracious  man- 
ner at  his  own  table;  yea,  so  condescending  is  he,  that, 
in  some  respects,  he  will  lay  aside  his  superiority,  as  if 
he  should  gird  himself  like  a  servant,  and  come  forth 
and  wait  upon  them. 

I  shall  at  present  confine  myself  to  the  first  of  these 
subjects;  nam  'ly,  the  duty  we  owe  to  our  absent  Lord. 
It  is  this  which  more  nearly  concerns  us  in  the  mean 
time:  the  glorious  reward  mentioned  in  the  latter  part 
of  my  text  belongs  chiefly  to  our  encouragement ;  and  in 
that  view  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  it  before  I 
conclude. 

Now,  by  this  figurative  description  of  the  duty  we 
•owe  to  our  absent  Lord,  we  are  plainly  taught,  in  the 

ist  place,  That  we  should  lay  aside  every  thing  that 
may  incumber  us  in  the  service  of  our  Master;  let  your 
loins  be  girded  about.  To  the  same  purpose  the  apostle 
Peter  exhorts  us,  (1  Pet.  i.  13.)  "  Wherefore  gird  up 
the  loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end, 
for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  reve- 
laticm  of  Jesus  Christ.''  The  New  Testament  abounds 
with  many  exhortations  of  the  same  kind;  which  will 
appear  to  have  a  peculiar  propriety,  if  we  consider  those 
figurative  representations  of  our  work  to  which  they  are 
applied.  It  is  called  a  race,  a  strife,  a  warfare^  we  must 
run,  and  wrestle,  and  fight;  and  therefore  have  need  of 
all  our  strength  and  activity.  Long  garments  are  for  or- 
nament, but  not  for  use ;  these  must  be  gathered  up  or 
laid  aside  when  a  man  addresses  himself  to  any  labori- 
ous business.  Now  such  is  the  nature  of  our  Christian 
■^'ork '  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and 


SERBION  XIII.  197 

the  violent  take  it  by  f»)rce.''  We  must  do  more  than 
seek  admittance ;  we  must  "  strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate ;  for  many  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able."  Think  of  this,  my  brethren;  ponder  the 
difficulties  in  your  warfare;  view  the  greatness  of  your 
work;  consider  the  number  and  stiength  of  your  ene- 
mies; look  through  that  large  system  of  duties  you  have 
to  perform;  and  then  you  must  be  convinced,  that  the 
most  vigorous  exertion  of  every  active  power  is  no  more 
than  needful  in  such  circumstances  as  ours.  We  must 
therefore,  I  say,  labour  to  get  rid  of  every  incumbrance, 
and  to  be  always  in  a  posture  for  active  service.  I  need 
not  tell  you  what  these  incumbrances  are.  In  general, 
whatever  unfits  us  for  our  duty,  that  must  be  laid  aside. 
More  particularly,  an  earthly  mind,  pride  of  heart,  and 
the  love  of  sensual  pleasures,  are  three  great  enemies  to 
holy  diligence  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Whilst  our  af- 
fections lie  thus  low,  it  is  impossible  we  can  do  any 
thing  to  purpose;  nay,  if  this  be  tiieir  prevailing  bent, 
we  shall  act  in  direct  opposilion  to  the  laws  of  our  Mas- 
ter. In  short,  our  first  care  should  be,  to  correct  that  dis- 
order which  is  within  us ;  to  get  our  hearts  purified  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  raised  above  the  profits  and  plea- 
sures, and  honours  of  this  vain  world ;  for  *•  out  of  tiie 
heart  are  the  issues  of  life ;"  and  such  as  our  affections 
are,  such  will  the  course  of  our  actions  be.  But  it  is  not 
enough  to  have  our  loins  thus  girded  about,  we  must 
also,  in  the 

2(Z  place.  Have  our  lights  burnivg.  This  may  impoi-t 
the  care  we  should  bestow  to  have  our  minds  furnished 
with  the  knowledge  of  our  duty;  for  as  servants  cannot 
work  to  any  purpose  in  the  dark,  so  neither  can  we  be 
good  and  fruitful  Christians,  without  a  competent  know- 
ledge of  that  divine  law  which  is  the  only  infallible  rule 


498  SERMON  XIII. 

of  our  conduct.  If  we  shall  take  this  to  be  the  meaniug 
of  the  words,  they  uo  doubt  teach  us  a  most  important 
find  necessary  lesson ;  namely,  That  we  should  careful- 
ly search  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and,  with  a  sincere  and 
humble  temper  of  mind,  labour  to  know  what  is  the 
^'  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  our  God." 

But  I  rather  incline  to  understand  this  expression  as 
importing  the  lively  and  constant  exercise  of  all  our 
Christian  graces.  This  is  indeed  the  best  preparation 
for  our  Lord's  return.  To  have  our  repentance  mourn- 
ing over  our  past  sins,  and  keeping  the  heart  humble 
under  a  sense  of  guilt; — our  faith  applying  tiie  blood  of 
Christ  for  pardon,  and  deriving,  at  the  same  time, 
strength  from  above  for  vanquishing  our  lusts,  that  "  sin 
may  no  more  have  dominion  over  us;" — our  love  em- 
bracing an  unseen  Saviour,  and  extending  to  all  his 
members ;  our  hope  casting  anchor  within  the  vail,  and 
keeping  the  soul  fixed  and  steady,  amidst  all  the  revolu- 
tions of  this  changing  world ; — our  patience  triumphing 
over  sufferings; — our  meekness  passing  by  injuries, 
blessing  and  doing  good  to  our  most  inveterate  enemies; 
— and,  by  the  happy  influence  of  all  these,  the  light  of 
our  external  conduct  adorning  our  profession,  and  en- 
gaging others  to  glorify  our  heavenly  Father:  This  is 
to  have  our  lights  biirnivg  indeed ;  this  will  make  us 
ready  to  meet  our  Lord.  We  shall  not  be  backward  to 
open  at  his  call,  when  all  is  thus  cleansed  and  in  good 
order  within.  And  this  is  the  preparation  we  ought  chief- 
ly to  study.  Our  readiness  to  work  will  not  avail  us  by 
itself;  we  must  be  doing,  our  work  must  be  advancing; 
for  in  vain  do  we  trim  the  lamp,  if  it  do  not  shine  and 
give  light ;  in  vain  are  our  loins  girded  about,  if  we  have 
nothing  to  do,  or  neglect  our  business.  Further,  in  the 

M  place,  We  are  here  directed  to  be  constantly  on 

/ 


SERMON  XIII.  199 

our  guard,  and  to  keep  a  strict  and  careful  watch  till  our 
Master  return. 

Watchfulness  is  frequently  in  Scripture  opposed  to 
sleep :  and  that  even  the  best  Christians  have  need  of 
this  caution,  we  may  leain  from  our  Saviour's  parable 
of  the  ten  virgins ;  where  it  is  said,  (Matth.  xxv.  5.)  that 
"  while  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all,^  that  is,  the 
wise  as  well  as  the  foolish,  ^'  slumbered  and  slept."  Car- 
nal and  unregenerated  sinners  are  represented  in  Scrip- 
ture  as  being  in  a  state  of  death ;  quite  stupid  and  un- 
feeling: but  even  those  who  have  got  a  principle  of  new 
life  may  suffer  very  sad  decays  ;  and  though  they  do  not 
totally  expire,  yet  they  may  fall  into  that  sleep  which  is 
the  image  of  death.  Though  the  precious  oil  which  feeds 
the  light  will  not  suffer  it  to  go  out ;  yet,  for  want  of  trim- 
ming, it  may  grow  so  dim  and  obscure,  that  it  shall 
scarcely  be  discernible.  Now  this,  my  brethren,  is  a 
very  melancholy  situation ;  and  it  highly  concerneth  us 
to  guard  against  it  with  our  utmost  care.  We  read  of 
some  who  lost  their  first  love ;  nay,  Paul  complains  of 
the  Hebrews,  that  they  had  lost  even  their  former  know- 
ledge, and  had  need  "  to  be  taught  again  which  be  tlie 
first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God."  "  The  hand  of 
the  diligent  maketh  rich  ;  and  he  that  is  slothful  is  bro- 
ther to  him  that  is  a  great  waster."  Indeed,  if  lioliness 
were  natural  to  us,  then  it  might  abide  with  us,  and  grow 
up  of  its  own  accord  without  any  care  on  our  part ;  but 
as  it  is  of  a  foreign  extraction,  and  as  our  hearts  are 
choaked  up  with  noxious  weeds,  this  precious  seed  must 
be  \vatched  over,  and  carefully  tended,  otherwise  it  will 
starve  and  decay.  The  sleeping  Christian  cannot  thrive: 
and  if  he  be  surprised  in  that  condition  when  his  Mas- 
ter calls,  how  great  shall  his  disorder  he  !  We  should 
therefore  beware  of  siothfulness ;  we  have  still  work  to 


200  SERMON  XIIL 

do,  and  God  hath  not  allowed  us  one  moment  more  than 
is  needful.  Let  us  then  awake  to  our  business;  let  us 
never  think  we  have  finished  our  task  so  long  as  there 
is  any  part  of  the  day  to  run  ;  but  let  us  imitate  the  great 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  who,  notwithstanding  his  high 
attainments  in  religion,  yet  '^  did  not  think  he  had  al- 
ready obtained,  either  was  already  perfect;  but,  forget- 
ting the  things  which  were  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  were  before,  he  pressed  towards 
the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  ia 
Christ  Jesus." 

But  we  may  consider  watchfulness  in  another  light, 
namely,  as  a  duty  arising  from  our  present  circumstances 
of  danger.  And  in  this  view  the  necessity  of  it  will  ap- 
pear unspeakably  great ;  for  though  Ave  could  acquire 
such  a  stock  of  graces  that  we  needed  not  make  any  fur- 
ther addition  to  them;  nay,  though  we  might  even  lie 
down  and  sleep,  without  any  apprehension  of  their  de- 
cay ;  yet,  if  we  be  in  danger  from  without,  if  thieves 
may  break  througti  and  steal  our  treasure,  then  of  neces- 
sity we  must  be  constantly  on  our  guard;  nor  is  it  wise 
in  us  to  drop  our  watch  for  one  moment.  And  who  can 
doubt  that  this  is  our  situation ?  "Watch  and  pray,'' 
said  our  Saviour,  "  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation." 
So  great  is  our  danger,  that  our  own  vigilance  is  not 
sufficient  to  secure  us ;  we  must  call  in  foreign  assis- 
tance, we  must  implore  the  divine  aid;  for  ''  unless  an 
Almighty  Guardian  keep  the  city,  the  watchman  wak- 
eth  in  vain."  Yea^  when  Satan  desired  to  have  Peter, 
that  he  might  "  sift  him  as  Avheat,"  our  Savioup  lum- 
sclf,  who  had  encountered  this  enemy,  and  knew  his 
strength,  prayed  for  his  zealous  disciple,  that  his  faith 
might  not  fail.  And  if  both  ivatchfulness  and  prayer  be 
necessary  for  our  defence,  alas  !  what  shall  become  of 


SERMON  XIII.  got 

those  who  neglect  both?  One  compares  the  gracious  soul 
to  a  ship  richly  laden ;  which  is  the  greater  temptation 
to  pirates  upon  that  very  account.  I  say  not  this  to  dis- 
courage the  sincere  Christian  ;  for  greater  is  he  that  is 
with  you  than  all  that  can  be  against  you  ;  but  methinks 
it  should  excite  you  to  double  your  watchfulness.  If  you 
have  profited  by  the  means  of  grace ;  if  your  treasure 
is  increased  ;  instead  of  growing  secure,  you  should  be 
the  more  humble  and  watchful  upon  that  very  account ; 
for  needful  is  that  caution,  "  Let  him  that  thinketh  he 
standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall."  Once  more,  in  the 

^th  place,  Our  Saviour  here  directs  us  to  consider 
ourselves  as  fellow-servants  and  members  of  his  family; 
and  in  this  view  another  part  of  our  preparation  for  his 
coming  must  lie  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  we  owe 
to  each  other,  as  well  as  of  those  duties  which  more  im- 
mediately respect  liimself.  THis  is  more  clearly  pointed 
out  to  us  in  the  45th  and  46th  verses  of  this  chapter, 
where  we  find  a  fearful  threatening  denounced  against 
those  who  neglect  this  mutual  relation:  "But,  and  if 
that  servant  say  in  his  heart,  My  lord  delayeth  his 
coming,  and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  men-servants,  and. 
maidens,  and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be  drunken ;  the 
lord  of  that  servant  will  come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh 
not  for  him,  and  at  an  hour  when  he  is  not  aware,  and 
will  cut  him  in  sunder,  and  will  appoint  him  his  portion 
with  the  unbelievers."  It  appears  from  this  passage,  that 
the  faithful  discharge  of  social  duties  has  a  higher  rank 
in  religion  than  many  seem  to  apprehend.  It  is  not  in- 
deed the  whole  of  religion  ;  neither  can  it  be  called  the 
most  essential  part  of  it;  for  no  doubt  the  duties  of  the 
highest  class  are  those  which  belong  to  the  first  table  of 
the  law,  and  arise  from  our  first  and  most  lasting  rela- 
tion.  We  were  tlie  subjects  of  God  before  we  became 

VOL.  T.  2  A 


202  3ERM0N  XIII. 

niprabers  of  human  society  ;  and  if  wc  prove  unfaithful 
to  God,  it  cannot  surely  give  him  any  pleasure  to  behold 
confederated  rebels  living  intlie  most  perfect  agreement 
among  themselves:  so  that  a  man  may,  in  several  re- 
spects, prove  an  agreeable,  perhaps  an  useful,  member 
of  society,  and  after  all  be  condemned  for  his  ingrati- 
tude to  God,  and  rebellion  against  his  Maker.  Never- 
theless, the  discharge  of  those  duties  which  we  owe  to 
one  another,  is   of  such  importance  in  religion,  that 
I  can  warrantably  affirm,  no  man  shall  be  saved  who 
transgresses  them,  or  even  M^ho  wilfully  and  habitually 
neglects  them.  It  is  not  to  be  expected,  nor  indeed  is  it 
necessary,  that  I  should  give  you  a  detail  of  these;  they 
are  universally  better  understood  than  they  are  practis- 
ed. Our  duty  here  extends  to  all  the  different  expres- 
sions of  righteousness  and  love;  and  the  rule  is  both 
short  and  plain ;  All  thifts^s  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them.    The 
best  offices  are  those  which  promote  our  neighbour's 
spiritual  and  eternal  interest;  and  therefore  religious  in- 
struction, friendly  advice,  and  seasonable  reproof,  can- 
not be  dispensed  with.    Whatever  tends  to  discourage 
vice,  or  to  promote  the  interests  of  religion  and  virtue, 
is  strictly  incumbent  upon  us,  according  to  the  power 
and  authority  which  our  station  gives  us ;  and  therefore 
he  is  but  half  a  ma2;istrate,  and  a  poor  half  too,  who  re- 
sents only  the  injury  that  is  done  to  men,  and  overlooks 
those  horrid  instances  of  impiety  against  God,  which  the 
good  laws  of  our  land  authorise  him  to  punish.  In  short, 
whatever  be  our  condition  in  life,  there  are  certain  du- 
ties belonging  to  it  w  hich  we  must  perform  ;  and  1  shall 
only  add,  that  as  the  obligation  is  mutual,  both  parties 
arc  equally  bound,  and  neither  can  withliold  from  the 
other  what  is  due  without  an  injury  :  nor  is  the  superior 


SERMON  XIII.  203 

kss  striclly  bound  to  those  who  are  below  liim,  than  the 
inferior  to  tl'.ose  who  are  above  him;  and  they  who  pos- 
sess ih»  highest  stations  are  equally  obliged,  with  the 
meanest  of  their  brethren,  to  "  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  go;I!y,  in  the  woild,"  and  to  promote  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  welfare  of  human  society,  by  the  faithful 
and  conscientious  use  of  all  those  talents  which  God 
hath  put  into  their  hands ;  and  if  they  do  otherwise, 
they  shall  be  condemned  and  punished  by  their  Master 
and  Judge  when  he  coraeth  again. 

After  this  manner  are  we  taught  to  make  ready  for 
the  Lord's  return. 

We  must  lay  aside  every  thing  that  may  incumber  us 
in  his  service ;  we  must  labour  to  know  our  Master's 
will,  and  to  keep  all  our  graces  in  lively  and  vigorous 
exercise  ; — particularly,  we  should  guard  against  sloth- 
fulness  and  security,  and,  from  a  sense  of  our  dauger, 
keep  a  strict  and  habitual  watch  against  the  enemies  of 
our  souls;  at  the  same  time  regarding  each  other  as  fel- 
low-servants, and  faithfully  performiug  those  social  du- 
ties which  belong  to  our  several  stations  and  relations. 
To  all  which  I  might  further  add,  that  we  should  ear- 
nestly look  out  for  our  Master's  coming,  and  long  for 
his  second  and  glorious  appearance,  when  we  and  all 
his  faithful  servants  shall  be  admitted  into  his  immedi- 
ate presence,  and  be  enabled  to  serve  him  without  any 
mixture  of  sin,  in  another  and  a  better  world  than  this. 

I  COME  now  to  exhort  you  to  the  practice  of  these  du- 
ties ;  for  which  I  offer  the  following  motives  and  argu- 
ments. 

ist  then.  One  great  argJiment  for  the  preparation 
here  recommended  may  be  drawn  from  the  certainly  of 
our  Lord's  return.  This  is  asserted  in  so  many  passages 
of  Scripture^  that  there  is  no  room  left  us  to  doubt  it. 


gO-l)  SERMON  XIII, 

The  present  mixt  state  of  things  renders  a  future  judg- 
ment not  only  probable  to  reason,  but  almost  certain  and 
necessary  ;  and  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  8th  chapter  of 
his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  derives  a  very  ingenious,  but 
substantial,  argument  in  favour  of  this  doctrine,  from 
the  present  burdened  state  and  weary  face  of  the  crea- 
tures :  nor  can  any  who  professeth  Christianity  pretend 
to  question  it.  Should  not  this  then  oblige  us  to  make 
ready  for  it?  With  these  very  eyes  shall  we  see  our 
Redeemer ;  and  how  shall  we  look  him  in  the  face,  if 
we  have  been  unfaithful  during  his  absence,  and  lived 
at  random:  as  if  none  had  power  over  us  ?  Nay,  me- 
thinks  this  very  consideration,  that  he  is  now  removed 
from  us,  should  work  upon  our  ingenuity,  and  excite  us 
to  the  utmost  care  and  diligence  in  his  service.  Every 
one  will  be  doing  while  he  sees  the  master  present :  the 
test  of  fidelity  is,  to  mind  the  master's  interest  when  he 
is  at  a  distance  ;  especially  the  interest  of  such  a  Mas- 
ter, who  hath  bought  us  from  the  most  deplorable  slave- 
ry with  his  own  precious  blood,  and  requires  nothing  at 
our  hand,  but  what  tends  to  make  us  happy  here,  and  to 
fit  us  for  eternal  glory  hereafter. 

2dly.  The  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  his  coming, 
should  excite  us  to  be  alwaj^s  busy  at  our  work,  and  in 
a  fit  posture  to  receive  him.  This  argument  is  much  in- 
sisted upon  by  our  Saviour.  He  often  compares  his  com- 
ing to  that  of  a  thief  in  the  night,  who  studies  secrecy, 
and  will  not  give  any  previous  noliee :  and  this  seems 
to  be  the  meaning  of  that  allusion  in  the  30th  verse, 
where  he  likens  himself  to  one  who  is  attending  a  mar- 
riage-solemnity;  because  on  such  occasions  people  are 
not  usually  masters  of  their  own  time,  which  renders  the 
season  of  their  return  to  their  own  houses  more  uncer- 
tain. And  if  this  be  the  case,  can  there  be  a  more  pow- 


SERMON  XIII.  20b 

erful  motive  to  an  habitual  preparation?  ^'Behold,  I 
come  as  a  thief,"  says  our  Saviour,  in  the  book  of  the 
Revelation. — "  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keep- 
eth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his 
shame."  Dost  thou  not  know,  O  man!  but  that  to-mor- 
row tliy  Master  may  come  to  thee ;  or,  which  is  the  same 
thing,  may  call  thee  to  him?  and  wilt  thou  not  be  busy? 
Show  us  thy  security  for  one  day,  and  then  claim  that 
day  as  thine  own:  but  if  thou  canst  not,  how  mad  art 
thou  to  neglect  thy  business,  or  to  leave  any  task  unfi- 
nished, whilst  it  is  in  the  power  of  thy  hands  to  do  it? — 
Especially  if  it  be  considered,  in  the 

Sd  place.  That  when  thy  Master  returns,  thy  work- 
ing-time is  over.  What  is  then  unfinished  must  remain 
so  for  ever.  He  comes  to  judge  thee  according  to  what 
thou  hast  done,  and  not  to  call  thee  to  perfect  thy  unfi- 
nished labours.  This,  my  brethren,  is  a  most  awful  con- 
sideration; we  are  now  sowing  the  seed  for  eternity,  and 
what  we  sow  that  shall  we  reap.  Our  Master's  order  is, 
Occupy  till  I  come:  that  is  the  terra  ;  and  we  can  nei- 
ther get  it  protracted  nor  renewed;  and  if  we  be  found 
unfaithful,  dreadful  shall  our  punishment  be;  and  the 
more  dreadful  upon  this  account,  that  it  shall  be  perpe- 
tual, without  abatement,  and  without  end.  But  as  I  would 
rather  choose  to  allure  than  frighten  you  to  your  duty, 
I  shall  represent  to  you,  as  a 

4fA  Motive  to  a  diligent  preparation  for  your  Mas^ 
ter's  coming  :  The  glorious  advancement,  and  blessed 
reward,  of  tiie  watchful  servants,  which  is  mentioned  in 
the  last  part  of  my  text;  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  It  is  in- 
troduced with  a  strong  asseveration,  to  denote  the  abso- 
lute certainty  of  the  thing;  and,  O  how  condescending 
is  that  which  follows!  He  shall  gird  himself,  and  make 
them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  sei^e 


a06  SERMON  XIIL 

them.  Surely  this  is  a  reward,  not  of  debt,  but  of  grace ', 
for  how  can  the  most  perfect  obedience  merit  any  thing 
like  this  ?  Those  faithful  servants  shall  be  advanced  to 
an  honour,  which,  were  it  not  promised,  they  could  not 
lawfully  hope  for.  They  shall  be  entertained  by  their 
Master  at  his  own  table ;  there  shall  they  feast  without 
any  to  disturb  them.  Here,  indeed,  whilst  we  are  at  our 
work,  we  obtain  some  foretastes  of  this  heavenly  ban- 
quet; but  how  soon  is  the  table  drawn!  But  it  shall  not 
be  so  in  heaven. — Here  we  must  eat,  as  the  Jews  did 
their  passover,  *'  in  haste,  with  our  loins  girded,  our 
shoes  on  our  feet,  and  our  staff  in  our  hand." — But  iu 
heaven  we  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Ja- 
cob, and  with  all  our  dear  fellow- servants,  never  more 
to  rise  again.  O  blessed  rest!  O  glorious  society  !  O  de- 
lightful entertainment!  But  what  can  these  words  mean, 
He  shall  gird  himself ,  and  come  forth  and  serve  them? 
— Surely  this  cannot  be  literally  fulfilled ;  yet  it  must 
have  a  resemblance  to  soraetliing  that  is  real,  otherwise 
it  would  not  have  been  mentioned. 

Thus  much  we  know,  that  on  that  day  Christ  shall 
bestow  some  extraordinary  marks  of  respect  upon  his 
servants,  which  "  our  ears  have  not  yet  heard,  neither 
can  our  hearts  conceive." 

If  ^^  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repent- 
eth,"  though  he  is  then  only  beginning  his  warfare,  and 
lias  many  a  weary  and  painful  step  before  him;  if  the 
prodigal  is  so  kindly  embraced  upon  his  first  return  from 
feeding  swine,  and  gets  *^  the  wedding-ring  on  his  fin- 
ger, and  the  best  robe  put  on  him ;"  what  shall  be  the 
saint's  honour  in  that  day  of  the  "  manifestation  of  the 
sons  of  God  !" 

"  If  any  man  serve  me,"  saith  Christ,  "  let  him  fol- 
low me;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  my  servant  be.  If 


SERMON  XIV.  207 

auy  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honour.''  But 
these  matters  are  too  high  for  us;  the  glories  of  the  up- 
per world  are  far  beyond  our  sight.  Yet  surely  those 
discoveries  which  have  been  imparled  to  us,  are  suffici- 
ent to  invite  our  thoughts  frequently  thither ;  and  espe- 
cially to  excite  us  to  the  most  diligent  preparation  for 
our  Lord's  return,  "  who  is  gone  before  to  prepare  a 
place  for  us,  and  who  shall  certainly  come  again,  and 
receive  us  unto  himself,  that  where  he  is,  there  we  may 
be  also." 

Well,  then,  my  dear  fellow-servants,  Let  our  loins 
he  girded  about,  and  our  lights  alwa^js  burning ;  ere 
long  our  work  shall  be  at  an  end,  and  this  glorious  eter- 
nal reward  shall  begin.  "  Let  us  not  be  weary  in  well- 
doing ;  for  in  dvm  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." 
Above  all,  let  us  guard  against  security  and  self- confi- 
dence; let  us  join  prayer  with  our  watching,  depending 
upon  him  who  hath  said,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee."  To  whom,  with  the  Father,  and  the  ever-blessed 
Spirit,  one  God,  be  glory  and  honour,  dominion  and 
power,  for  evermore.  Amen. 


1  CoBiN.  ix.  24. 
— So  run  that  ye  may  obtain. 


J  N  these  words  the  Christian  life  is  compared  to  a  race 
and  the  disciples  of  Jesus  are  warmly  exhorted  to  press 
forward  in  their  way  to  heaven,  till  they  obtain  the  glo- 
rious prize  for  which  they  contend. 


'"'^Si 


208  SERMON  XIV. 

I  shall  therefore  make  it  my  business,  iti  the  follow- 
ing discourse, 

First.  To  give  you  a  general  account  of  the  race  we 
have  to  run ;  and, 

Secondly,  To  illustrate  the  fitness  and  propriety  of 
this  similitude.  After  which,  in  the 

Third  place,  I  shall  press  the  exhortation  by  some 
motives  and  arguments. 

I  NEED  not  spend  much  time  upon  the  first  of  these 
particulars.  In  general,  the  race  we  have  to  run,  com- 
prehends the  whole  of  that  duty  we  owe  to  God ;  name- 
]y,  obedience  to  his  laws,  and  submission  to  his  provi- 
dence ;  doing  what  he  commands,  and  patiently  endur- 
ing whatever  he  is  pleased  to  appoint.  The  charge  which 
our  great  Master  hath  given  us  is  expressed  in  these 
words  :  Occujnj  till  I  come.  All  the  gifts  of  nature,  of 
providence,  and  of  grace,  are  talents  put  into  our  hands; 
which  must  not  only  be  carefully  kept,  but  diligently 
improved,  for  his  glory  and  our  own  spiritual  advan- 
tage ;  otherwise  we  shall  be  condemned,  not  only  as 
slothful,  but  as  wicked  servants,  and  punished  accord- 
ingly. *•  To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it 
not,"  saith  the  apostle  James,  ^-  to  him  it  is  sin."  It  is 
not  sufficient,  barely  "  to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts ;"  the  grace  of  God  doth  further  teach  us,  "  to 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  the  world ;"  add- 
ing one  Christian  grace  to  another,  abounding  more  and 
more  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  till  we  have  perfected  ho- 
liness in  the  fear  of  God.  Thus  extensive  is  the  divine 
law,  reaching  to  every  part  of  our  conduct,  at  all  times, 
and  in  all  places  and  circumstances.  Wherever  we  are, 
it  speaks  to  us;  and  if  our  ears  are  open,  we  may  con- 
tinually hear  its  voice  behind  us,  saying,  "Lo!  this  is 
the  way,  walk  ye  in  it." 


SERMON  XIT.  '      g09 

But  the  Christian  life  includes  in  it  something  more  than 
the  mere  performance  of  duty ;  the  cross  lies  in  our  way, 
and  we  shall  never  get  to  the  end  of  the  race,  unless  we 
take  it  up,  and,  with  meekness  and  patience,  carry  it 
along  with  us.  It  must  be  owned,  indeed,  that  this,  at 
the  first  sight,  hath  rather  the  look  of  a  clog  or  incum- 
brance ;  and  the  Christian,  while  under  the  cross,  is  very 
apt  to  think  so:  he  feels  his  burden,  and,  in  his  own  ap- 
prehension, moves  so  heavily,  that  he  is  afraid  he  shall 
never  get  to  the  end  of  his  journey;  which  frequently 
inclines  him  to  wish  that  the  load  were  removed,  and 
some  easier  piece  of  service  assigned  him.  But  this  in 
reality  is  a  mistake :  the  cross  is  far  from  being  a  hin- 
drance in  our  way  to  heaven ;  for  though  a  heavy  mate- 
rial load  oppresses  the  body,  yet  in  the  spiritual  race  it 
often  happens,  that  the  burdened  soul  makes  both  the 
swiftest  and  the  surest  progress.  "  Tribulation  worketh 
patience,  and  patience  experience,  and  experience  hope." 
The  cross  may  be  called  a  tree  both  of  knowledge  and 
of  life  :  the  fruit  it  bears  hath  no  deadly  quality;  on  the 
contrary,  it  gives  both  sight  and  health ;  it  opens  our 
eyes  to  see  the  good  we  ought  to  choose,  and  the  evil 
we  ought  to  shun  ;  and  is  often  made  effectual,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  to  purge  away  those  fatal  distempers 
which  sin  hath  brought  into  our  frame,  to  beget  in  us  a 
loathing  of  every  thing  that  is  evil,  and  more  ardent  de- 
sires after  higher  measures  of  that  holiness,  which  is  at 
once  the  ornament  and  the  happiness  of  our  nature.  The 
cross  doth  not  enfeeble  us,  though  we  erroneously  may 
think  so;  it  only  makes  us  sensible  of  our  weakness, 
that  we  may  depend  upon  him  who  is  "  the  Lord  our 
strength ;"  and  instead  of  crushing  us  with  its  ow  n 
weight,  obligeth  us  to  quit  our  hold  of  those  real  incum- 

VOL.  T.  2  I? 


210  SERMON  XIV. 

brances  which  mar  our  progress,  and  hiader  us  to  ^^run 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us." 

Thus  I  have  given  you  a  general  view  of  the  race  we 
liavc  to  run.  It  comprehends  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
God,  and  submission  to  his  discipline ;  doing  what  he 
commands,  and  patiently  enduring  whatever  he  is  pleas- 
ed to  inflict.  I  am  now,  in  the 

Second  place,  To  illustrate  the  fitness  and  propriety 
of  this  similitude;  and  to  show,  that  the  Christian  life 
doth  very  much  resemble  a  race  in  several  important 
respects. 

Thus,  for  example,  one  in  running  a  race  must  strict- 
ly observe  the  course  that  is  marked  out  to  him  :  he  is 
not  at  liberty  to  choose  his  own  ground,  but  must  con- 
fine himself  to  that  which  the  judges  have  agreed  upon; 
otherwise  let  him  run  ever  so  fast,  he  can  acquire  no 
right  or  title  to  the  prize.  Now  here  the  resemblance  is 
most  exact.  There  is  a  certain  limited  way  in  which  the 
Christian  must  run,  emphatically  called  the  way  of 
God^s  commandments.  This  we  must  keep  with  the  ut- 
most precision,  "  neither  turning  aside  to  the  right  hand 
nor  to  the  left."  Mere  activity  will  not  avail  us :  wc 
may  be  very  keen  and  busy ;  but  if  we  are  not  busy  ac- 
cording to  rule,  we  only  lose  our  labour:  God  can  never 
accept  it  as  a  service  done  to  him.  It  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary that  we  be  always  in  a  readiness  to  answer  that 
question,  "Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand?" 
Nothing  is  left  to  our  own  humour  or  fancy  :  "  The 
law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect ;"  and  it  is  equally  dishon- 
oured when  we  pretend  to  add  to  it  as  when  we  take 
from  it.  Arbitrary  rules  of  strictness,  for  which  we  have 
no  warrant  in  the  word  of  God,  are  dangerous  things, 
and  seldom  fail  in  the  issue  to  supplant  that  religion 
which  is  solid  and  saving.   By  t])is  officious  overdoing, 


SERMON  XIV.  5H 

the  church  of  Rome  grew  up  by  degrees  into  Ihat  mon- 
ster which  it  is  now  become ;  for  I  am  fully  persuaded^ 
that  all  those  childish  superstitions,  whicii  have  long 
been  advanced  above  the  laws  of  God,  were  first  intro- 
duced, many  of  them  with  a  real  design,  and  all  of  them 
under  the  specious  pretext  of  giving  aid  to  the  divine 
law,  and  facilitating  the  observance  of  it.  I  am  very 
sensible,  that  the  humour  of  the  present  age  doth  not 
run  this  way  :  few  need  a  caution  against  being  "  righ. 
teous  overmuch.''  Nevertheless,  as  some  serious,  well- 
meaning  people  may  be  in  danger  of  making  snares  for 
their  own  consciences,  by  laying  down  rules  of  conduct 
which  are  not  warranted  by  the  word  of  God,  1  am 
hopeful  that  this  hint  may  not  be  altogether  unuseful. 
Let  the  holy  Scriptures  be  your  constant  study ;  and 
what  these  enjoin,  observe  with  all  the  care  and  accu» 
racy  you  are  capable  of.  Let  this  be  your  business,  to 
find  out  the  duty  of  every  season  ;  and  when  you  have 
found  it,  then  do  and  spare  not.  Thus  shall  you  run 
lawfully :  and  every  step  you  make  shall  be  an  advance 
towards  the  prize. 

Again  ;  as  running  a  race  is  a  swift  and  constant  pro- 
gression, so  ought  the  life  of  a  Christian  to  be.  "  What- 
ever our  hands  find  to  do,  we  must  do  it  with  all  our 
might."  And  wc  need  never  go  far  off  to  find  work; 
there  is  enough  on  every  side  of  us  to  keep  us  constant- 
ly employed.  Let  us  not  then  be  slothful  in  business, 
but  "  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."  "  Let  us  ne- 
ver think  we  have  already  attained,  either  are  already 
perfect;  but  forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  to  those  things  which  are  before,  let  us 
press  toward  the  mark,  for  tlie  prize  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."'  "  The  path  of  the  just  is  as 
the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 


21g  SERMON  XIV. 

perfect  day."  Our  present  attainments,  instead  of  a  rest- 
ing-place, should  only  serve  as  a  scaffolding  to  raise  us 
up  higher ;  and  the  nearer  we  advance  to  the  prize,  the 
more  quick  and  accelerated  should  our  motion  be.  Which 
leads  me  to  mention  another  remarkable  property  in 
which  the  Christian  life  resembles  a  race;  namely, 

That  there  is  no  gaining  the  prize  unless  we  hold  out 
to  the  end.  It  signifies  nothing  to  start  briskly,  and  to 
run  fast  a  great  part  of  the  way;  the  whole  ground,  you 
know,  must  be  passed  over,  otherwise  the  person  is  re- 
puted not  to  have  run  at  all. — So  it  is  in  the  Christian 
race.  The  temporary  profession,  or  practice  of  religion, 
will  not  avail  us ;  we  must  persevere  to  the  last ;  for  it  is 
only  he  who  endureth  to  the  end  that  shall  be  saved : 
"To  him  that  overcometh,"  said  our  blessed  Lord, 
^^  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  al- 
so overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his 
throne."  The  charge,  as  I  formerly  observed  to  you, 
runs  in  these  words:  *^' Occupy  till  I  come;"  and  the 
promise  exactly  corresponds  to  it;  "Be  thou  faithful 
unto  the  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 

Thus,  in  all  these  particulars,  the  Christian  life  may, 
with  great  propriety,  be  compared  to  a  race.  But  then  it 
is  necessary  to  observe,  that  though  the  resemblance  is 
suflficiently  strong  to  justify  the  use  of  this  figurative  re- 
presentation ;  yet  there  are  several  important  respects  in 
which  the  Christian  race  doth  widely  differ  from  all 
others :   Such  as, 

ist.  In  other  races,  though  many  may  start,  and  hold 
out  to  the  end ;  yet  none  but  the  foremost  receiveth  the 
prize :  Know  ye  not,  saith  the  Apostle,  in  the  first  part 
of  the  verse,  that  they  ichich  run  in  a  race,  run  all,  hut 
one  receiveth  the  prize;  whereas  it  is  quite  otherwise  in 
(he  Christian  race.    There  may  be  a  great  disparity 


SERMON  XIV.  SIS 

among  the  candidates,  but  every  one  who  endureth  to 
the  end  shall  be  saved.  He  who  is  faithful  over  a  little, 
shall  be  as  certainly  rewarded,  as  he  who  is  faithful 
over  much ;  each  shall  receive  a  crown  as  large  as  he 
can  wear:  Whosoever  doth  faithfully,  is  accounted  by 
the  Judge  to  have  done  well :  for  we  find  the  same  sa- 
lutation that  was  addressed  to  the  servant  who  had  im- 
proved the  many  talents,  addressed  likewise  to  him  who 
had  improved  the  few :  "  Well  done"  (though  not  so 
much  done)  yet  still  it  is  said,  "  Well  done,  thou  good 
and  faithful  servant;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord."  Hence, 

2dly.  They  who  run  in  the  Christian  race  have  no 
envy,  no  jealousy  among  themselves ;  far  less  do  they 
molest  and  hinder  one  another :  on  the  contrary,  the 
stronger  help  forward  the  weaker,  and  give  them  all 
the  assistance  and  encouragement  in  their  power.  Novr, 
in  other  races  it  is  not  so;  the  fall  of  one  candidate  gives 
joy  to  the  rest ;  but  they  who  run  for  the  heavenly  prize, 
would  caiTy  all  the  world  along  with  them  if  they  could. 
As  the  Psalmist  "  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  him, 
Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord ;"  so  every  sincere 
candidate  for  immortal  glory  rejoiceth  when  he  hears  of 
many  travellers  by  the  way ;  and  is  ready  to  say  to  ev- 
ery one  he  meets,  0  come  and  let  us  go  together  to  the 
Zion  above,  that  city  of  the  great  King,  where  true 
riches  and  honours  are  only  to  be  found. 

Sdly.  They  who  run  in  other  races  have  nothing  but 
toil  and  labour  till  they  obtain  the  prize;  but  in  the 
Christian  race,  the  exercise  itself  carries  part  of  the  re- 
ward in  its  bosom :  ^'  Wisdom's  ways  are  ways  of  plea- 
santness, and  all  her  paths  are  peace."  Christ's  yoke  is 
easy,  his  burden  is  light,  and  his  commandments  are 
not  grievous.    Hear  what  holy  David  says,  "  Thy  sta- 


214,  SERMON  XIV. 

tutes  have  been  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrim- 
age."— Sometimes,  indeed,  they  have  dark  nights  and 
stormy  weather ;  "  without  are  fightings,  and  within  are 
fcars."^  But  this  is  not  the  constant  fare  of  them  all,  nor 
perhaps  of  any  of  them  at  all  times :  they  have  their  sea- 
sons of  joy  as  well  as  of  grief:  and  they  have  this  to 
comfort  them  amidst  all  their  troubles,  even  the  assur- 
ance that  they  shall  work  together  for  their  everlasting 
benefit.  Which  leads  me  to  mention  a 

4//i  Distinguishing  property  of  the  Christian  race; 
namely,  the  certainty  of  gaining  the  prize  at  last.  Did 
the  Christian  run  in  his  own  strength,  he  might  not  only 
doubt,  but  despair  of  success :  but  his  whole  dependance 
is  on  that  almighty  Saviour,  upon  whom  the  Father 
hath  laid  his  help :  He  goes  up  through  the  wilderness, 
leaning  upon  the  beloved ;  and  therefore,  under  his  felt 
weakness,  and  when  every  thing  around  him  wears  the 
most  discouraging  aspect,  he  is  sometimes  enabled  to 
triumph  in  the  language  of  Paul,  and  to  say,  as  he  did, 
*^  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  that  strengthenetli 
me.'"'  Perseverance  is  not  only  the  duty,  but  the  privi- 
lege of  all  who  set  themselves  in  good  earnest  to  run  for 
heaven  :  and  though  the  law  of  God  obligeth  them,  and 
the  new  nature  habitually  inclines  them,  "  to  keep  un- 
der the  body,  and  to  bring  it  into  subjection ;"  yet  they 
have  far  better  security  than  any  efforts  of  their  own. 
Omnipotence  is  their  guardian;  and  they  are  kept  by 
the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation."  These, 
my  brethren,  are  some  of  the  endearing  peculiarities  of 
the  Christian  race :  Let  me  now  exhort  you,  in  the 

Third  place.  So  to  run  that  you  may  at  length  ohtain. 
And,  for  this  end,  let  us  consider, 

ist.  That  many  eyes  are  upon  us :  We  are  surround- 
ed with  spectators,  who  narrowly  observe  every  part  of 


SERMON  XIV.  gl5 

our  behaviour.  The  holy  angels,  those  ministering  spi- 
rits sent  forth  to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  look 
on  us  with  a  friendly  concern ;  and  as  they  rejoice  at  the 
first  conversion  of  a  sinner,  so  we  may  reasonably  sup- 
pose, that  all  our  strayings  from  the  path  of  life  are  sor- 
rowfully remarked  and  lamented  by  them.  On  the  other 
hand,  those  malignant  powers  of  darkness,  which  con- 
stantly go  about  "  seeking  whom  they  may  devour," 
are  no  less  attentive  to  our  conduct.  They  too  mark  our 
steps,  though  from  a  different  principle :  not  to  help, 
hut  to  ensnare  us  ;  not  to  applaud  our  fidelity  and  dili- 
gence, but  to  find  matter  of  censure  and  accusation 
against  us.  Above  all,  the  great  and  omniscient  God 
hath  his  eye  continually  upon  us ;  "  he  compasseth  our 
path,  and  he  is  acquainted  with  all  our  ways."  He  be- 
sets us  behind  and  before,  and  so  holds  us  by  his  right 
hand,  that  we  cannot  fly  from  his  presence,  nor  find  any 
covering  so  thick  as  to  hide  us  from  his  sight.  Think  of 
this,  my  brethren,  and  judge  whether  we  have  not  cause 
to  be  continually  on  our  guard.  We  perform  every  ac- 
tion, not  only  in  the  sight  of  innumerable  witnesses,  but 
in  the  presence  of  that  glorious  Being,  by  whom  our 
final  doom  shall  be  pronounced :  Ought  we  not  then  to 
quit  ourselves  like  men?  There  is  something  in  this 
motive  so  awful,  and  at  the  same  time  so  animating,  that 
I  should  think  I  affronted  your  reason,  if  I  spent  time 
in  the  illustration  of  it.  We  must  feel  its  influence  as 
soon  as  it  is  named  :  Did  we  see  with  our  bodily  eyes 
what  we  all  profess  to  believe,  we  should  not  vi^ait  for 
an  exhortation  to  "  run  the  race  set  before  us." 

Consider,  in  the  2d  place.  That  many  have  already 
run  this  race,  who  are  now  in  possession  of  the  glorious 
prize.  Paul  exhorted  the  Christians  in  his  day  to  he 
<^*  followers  of  them,  who  through  faith  and  patience  in- 


a  16  SERMON  XIV. 

Iierit  the  promises/*^  The  way  t6  heaven  was  not  then 
an  untrodden  path ;  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses  had  pass- 
ed that  road  before  the  Apostle  began  to  write :  and  we 
may  reasonably  conclude,  that  vast  multitudes  have 
been  following  them  during  the  seventeen  hundred  years 
which  have  elapsed  since  that  time.  And  shall  not  their 
example  encourage  us  to  go  and  do  likewise?  We  see 
plainly  from  their  success,  that  there  are  no  unsurmount- 
able  obstacles  in  the  way.  The  saints  now  in  heaven 
were  once  in  the  same  condition  with  ourselves ;  they 
were  men  of  like  passions,  and  exposed  to  the  same 
temptations.  The  grace  that  saved  them  is  equally  suf- 
ficient to  save  us ;  and  (glory  to  God)  it  is  as  ready  to  be 
dispensed  to  us,  if  we  ask  and  seek,  and  knock  for  it, 
as  they  did. 

Where  are  all  those  illustrious  persons  recorded  in 
Scripture?  Where  are  the  patriarchs,  the  prophets,  and 
the  Apostles  of  our  Lord?  Where  are  those  heroic  spi- 
rits, of  whom  we  read  in  the  11th  chapter  of  the  epistle 
to  the  Hebrews,  "  who  through  faith  subdued  kingdoms, 
wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped 
the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were  made 
strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  and  turned  to  flight  the 
armies  of  the  aliens?"  Wiiere  are  those  faithful  martyrs, 
•^  who  had  trial  of  cruel  raockings,  and  scourgings,yea 
moreover  of  bonds  and  imprisonment;  who  were  stoned, 
who  were  sawn  asunder,  who  were  tempted,  who  were 
slain  with  the  sword;  who  wandered  about  in  sheep- 
skins and  goat-skins,  being  destitute,  afllicted,  torment- 
ed; of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy?"  Where  are 
those  holy  souls,  with  whom  we  ourselves  were  person- 
ally acquainted,  and  whom  we  dearly  loved,  but  who 
are  now  separated  from  our  society,  and  have  left  us  be- 


SERMON  XIV.  SI7 

hind  theui  in  this  vale  of  misery  and  tears?  They  are 
surroundins  the  throne  of  God  most  lii§h,  singing  the 
song  of  Moses  and  of  the  Lamb  ;  ascribing  glory  to  him 
who  washed  tliem  from  their  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and 
made  them  kings  and  priests  unto  God,  even  his  Father. 
Look  above  you,  O  Christians!  to  this  glorious  compa- 
ny ;  and  the  desire  of  being  one  day  joined  to  them  will 
reconcile  you  to  all  the  hardships  of  the  Christian 
course,  and  make  you  run  with  patience  the  race  set  be- 
fore you. 

Consider,  in  the  Sd  place,  Wlio  are  your  fellow-tra- 
vellers. You  are  not  only  going  to  a  glorious  and  trium- 
phant society,  but  you  go  in  company  with  persons  of 
the  greatest  dignity  and  worth,  "even  the  saints,  those 
excellent  ones  in  the  earth,"  whom  God  hath  chosen  and 
set  apart  for  himself.  And  this,  my  brethren,  is  an  en- 
couraging circumstance.  We  find,  that  even  an  Elias, 
when  he  supposed  himself  alone  by  the  way,  both  wish- 
ed and  prayed  for  death,  saying,   "  It  is  enough,  now, 
O  Lord  God ;   take  away  my  life ;   for  I  am  not  better 
than  my  fathers."    And  therefore  God  was  pleased,  in 
great  condescension,  to  rectify  the  mistake  of  his  ser- 
vant, by  assuring  him,  that  there  were  many  thousands 
unknown  to  him  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal; 
and  that  the  road  to  the  celestial  country,  even  in  that 
corrupt  and  degenerate   age,  was  not  so  unfrequented 
and  solitary  as  he  imagined.    The  saints  are  not  only 
hid  from   the  world,  but   frequently  mistaken  by  one 
anotlier;  which  tempts  many  of  them  to  think,  that  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  of  a  very  narrow  extent,  and  the 
number  of  his  subjects  exceeding  small;   but  were  our 
eyes  opened,  and  the  scales  of  pride  and  prejudice  re- 
moved, we  should  see  a  fjir  more  goodly  company  than 
we  expected.    And  ought  not  this  to  animate  us  in  our 
VOL.  I.  2  (; 


^Ig  SERMON  XIV. 

Christian  race?  Have  we  all  the  saints  on  earth  for  our 
companions?  are  we  going  to  saints  and  angels  in  hea- 
ven? and  shall  not  this  fire  us  with  an  Jieroie  ardour  to 
run  so  as  ive  may  at  length  obtain  P  Especially  if  we 
consider,  in  tlie 

'Mh  place,  The  nature  of  those  duties  which  our  Lord 
hath  required  of  us;  or  if  you  please  (to  keep  hy  the 
allusion)  the  goodness  of  that  road  in  which  we  are  to 
run  for  the  heavenly  prize.  "  The  law  is  holy,'^  saith 
the  apostle  Paul,  '^  the  commandment  is  holy,  just, 
and  good;^^  not  only  infinitely  reasonable  in  itself,  hut 
infinitely  kind  and  obliging  to  us,  inasmuch  as  it  enjoins 
nothing  but  wliat  tends  to  purify  and  perfect  our  na- 
tures, and  to  qualify  us  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  never- 
ending  felicity.  In  the  frame  of  the  moral  law,  God 
appears  rather  like  a  father  than  a  sovereign,  exacting 
nothing  as  a  test  of  our  subjection  to  his  authority,  but 
what  is  so  necessarily  connected  with  our  own  true  hap- 
piness, that  a  liberty  to  act  otherwise  would  in  reality 
be  a  license  to  destroy  ourselves. 

5thlij.  We  have  a  kind  sympathizing  and  unerring 
Guide,  who  came  from  heaven  to  earth  to  teach  us  the 
way  from  earth  to  heaven ;  yea,  he  hath  not  only  point- 
ed out  the  road  to  us,  hut  hath  actually  gone  before  us, 
and  now^  calls  upon  us  to  follow  his  steps.  "  Behold,'' 
saith  God  by  the  Proj>het  Isaiah,  "  I  have  given  him  for 
a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the 
people."  This  is  the  peculiar  ofiice  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  and  his  mildness  and  condescension  in  the  dis-. 
charge  of  this  office  are  beautifully  described  by  the 
same  prophet!  "He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shep- 
herd; he  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  liis  arm,  and  car- 
ry  them  in  his  bosom,  and  gently  lead  those  that  are 
with  young."  He  doth  not  despise  the  weakness  of  his 


SERMON  XIV.  gl9 

people;  for  he  knoweth  their  frame,  and  "  is  touclied 
with  a  feelins;  of  their  iniirmities,  having  been  in  all 
points  tempted  like  as  they  are.''  Like  as  a  father  piti- 
eth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  piiieth  those  that  fear  him. 
"  He  dotfi  not  break  the  bruised  reed,  nor  quench  the 
smoking  flax;"  on  the  contrary,  "  he  givelh  power  to 
the  faint,  and  to  them  that  have  no  might  he  increaseth 
strength."  He  will  not  suffer  th('m  to  be  tempted  above 
what  they  are  able;  but  in  the  emphatical  language  of 
holy  writ,  "  he  debates  with  them  in  measure,  and  stays 
his  rough  wind  in  the  day  of  his  east  wind."  AVhen 
Ihey  pass  through  the  fire,  and  through  the  water,  he  is 
with  them;  and  though,  for  wise  and  holy  reasons,  their 
eyes  may  be  holden  that  they  cannot  perceive  him ;  yet 
with  a  powerful,  tliough  invisible  hand,  he  suj)ports  and 
guides  their  weary  steps;  according  to  that  gracious 
promise,  "  I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they 
know  not,  and  lead  them  in  paths  which  they  have  not 
known  ;  I  will  make  darkness  light  before  tiiem,  and 
crooked  ways  straight.  These  things  will  I  do  for  them, 
and  not  forsake  them."  O  what  a  joyful  consideration. 
is  this  !  that  the  great  Captain  of  salvation  is  our  Guide, 
who  can  cover  our  head,  and  heal  our  wounds;  raise 
us  up  when  we  fall,  and  perfect  strength  in  our  weak- 
ness. "  Fear  not,"  says  he,  "  for  I  am  with  thee ;  be 
not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God  ;  I  will  strengthen  thee ; 
yea,  I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
right  hand  of  my  righteousness." 

My  Gth  and  last  motive  shall  be  taken  from  the  un- 
speakable worth  of  the  prize  to  be  obtained.  This  is  no 
other  than  "heaven  itself;"  "eternal  life;"  "an  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory;"  "  an  incorrupti- 
ble  crown ;"  "'  an  undefile.d  inheritance ;"  "  a  glory 
which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  can  the 


gS0  SERMON  XIV. 

heart  of  man  conceive."  "  It  doth  not  yet  appear/'  saith 
the  apostle  John,  ^'  what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know,  that 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is.''  Then  shall  we  be  thoroughly  chang- 
ed into  the  image  of  our  Lord.  We  shall  love  him  with- 
out measure,  and  praise  him  without  end;  we  shall  serve 
him  without  weariness,  and  those  manifold  imperfections 
which  stain  our  most  holy  duties  while  on  earth.  Nay, 
our  bodies  being  raised  by  the  power  and  spirit  of  our 
Kedeemer,  who  is  the  "  plague  of  death,  and  the  de- 
struction of  the  grave,"  shall  be  fashioned  like  unto  his 
own  glorious  body;  whose  presence  we  shall  for  ever 
enjoy,  and  whose  matchless  love,  that  passeth  know- 
ledge, we  shall  eternally  celebrate  with  the  church  of 
the  first-born. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  the  glorious  prize  for  which  we 
are  called  to  contend.  And  can  any  thing  fire  our  ambi- 
tion if  this  do  not?  What  bustle  do  men  make  for  an 
earthly  crown,  when,  lo !  death  is  at  hand  to  pluck  it 
off  their  heads,  and  to  throw  it  in  the  dust?  and  shall 
not  we  contend  for  a  heavenly  crown,  a  regal  dignity 
and  power,  which,  when  once  obtained,  shall  never  be 
taken  from  us?  "  Wherefore  gird  up  the  loins  of  your 
mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for  the  grace  that 
is  lo  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ."  Let  us  henceforth  ^'  lay  aside  every  weight, 
and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us 
run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us ;  looking 
unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith ;  who, 
for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  throne  of  God."  To  him  let  our  waiting  eyes  be 
continually  directed ;  and  whilst  we  run  in  obedience  to 
his  command,  let  us  humbly  and  fervently  address  him 


SERMON  XV.  2U 

in  the  words  of  the  devout  Psalmist,  with  which  I  shall 
conclude :  "  Unto  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  my  soul. 
0  ray  God,  I  trust  in  theo,  let  me  not  be  ashamed.  Shew 
me  thy  ways;  Lord,  teach  me  thy  paths.  Lead  me  in  thy 
truth,  and  guide  me;  for  thou  art  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion, on  thee  do  I  wait  all  the  day."  dmen. 


Romans  xii.  11. 
Fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Loru. 


XT  usually  happens,  saith  one,  that  in  times  of  peace 
and  outward  prosperity,  the  church,  like  a  river  v/hose 
channel  is  enlarged,  loseth  as  much  in  depth  as  it  gains 
in  breadth :  I  wish  I  could  not  add^  that  tlie  present  state 
of  the  church  in  our  own  land,  serves  not  only  to  illus- 
trate the  propriety  of  this  similitude,  but  likewise  to  con- 
firm the  truth  of  the  observation.  As  we  have  long  en- 
joyed, in  a  very  distinguished  manner,  the  protection 
and  countenance  of  civil  authority,  the  number  of  pro- 
fessors is  indeed  greatly  increased ;  but  though  the/o)';?2s 
of  godliness  are  practised  by  many,  there  is  too  jasl 
cause  to  complain,  that  the  genuine  power  of  it  is  felt 
by  few.  Where  are  the  persons  who  make  religion  their 
business,  and  apply  themselves  to  it  as  the  "  one  thing 
needful?"  How  few  are  to  be  found,  who  exemplify 
those  scriptural  representations  of  the  Christian's  work 
jind  duty;  »' fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith;"  "running 


S33  SERMON  XV. 

with  patience  the  race  set  before  them ;"  "  pressing  to- 
ward the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus?"  Alas!  my  brethren,  the  far  greater 
number,  if  they  be  going  forward  at  all,  it  is  with  such 
a  sh)w  and  stagsjering  pace,  as  can  neither  edify  their 
brethren,  nor  yield  any  real  comfort  to  themselves: 
"  their  liglit,"  instead  of  ^'  shining  before  men,"  like  the 
dim  twinkling  of  a  caudle,  sunk  and  expiring  in  the 
socket,  is  scarcely  discernible. 

For  exciting  such  decayed  and  languishing  Chris- 
tians to  "  strengthen  the  things  which  remain,  that  are 
ready  to  die,"  I  shall  at  present  take  occasion,  from  the 
words  I  have  read  to  you,  j/irsf,  to  explain ;  and,  second- 
ly, to  recommend  {\\dii  fervour  of  spirit,  with  which  the 
A])ostle  exhorteth  us  to  serve  the  Lord. 

Fervour,  in  general,  is  opposed  to  lukewarmness  or 
indifference ;  and  denotes  that  edge  or  keenness,  that 
activity  and  diligence,  which  we  commonly  exert  in  the 
pursuit  of  any  object  we  highly  value  and  wish  to  pos- 
sess. Now  the  fervour  whereof  my  text  speaks,  hath 
religion,  or  the  service  of  God.  for  its  object:  Love  to 
God  is  the  principle,  the  law  of  God  is  the  rule,  and  his 
glory  the  end,  of  all  its  operations.  l^hQ  fervent  Chris- 
tian is  habitually  on  the  stretch  to  answer  the  great  pur- 
poses for  which  he  was  made  and  redeemed;  his  under- 
standing is  employed  in  searching  out  the  mind  of  God, 
so  far  as  it  regards  the  conduct  of  his  creatures  ;  his  will 
is  firmly  and  resolutely  determined  to  perform  whatever 
shall  appear  to  be  his  duty;  his  affections  are  inspired 
with  holy  life  and  vigour;  in  consequence  of  which,  his 
executive  powers  are  all  ready  to  perform  their  several 
parts ;  the  tongue  to  speak,  the  hands  to  give,  or  to  do 
what  is  required,  and  the  feet  to  run  in  the  way  of  God's 
commandments.  In  short,  the  whole  man  is  engaged  in 


SERMON  XY.  228 

the  service  of  God ;  so  that  religion  becomes  his  con- 
stant and  most  delightful  occupation ;  he  *^  strives"  with 
all  his  might  "  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate;"  and  counts 
notliing  too  mucii  to  be  done,  or  too  hard  to  be  endnred, 
for  the  enjoyment  of  that  God  whom  he  most  ardently 
loves,  and  to  whom  he  is  entirely  devoted.  This,  my 
brethren,  is  to  be  fervent  in  spirit. 

But  as  there  are  several  counterfeits  of  this  gracious 
temper,  I  shall  endeavour  to  select  those  peculiar  pro- 
perties of  true  Chrisiisin  fervour  that  chiefly  distinguish 
it  from  those  delusive  appearances  by  which  too  many 
impose  both  upon  themselves  and  others.  Let  it  be  ob- 
served then, in  the 

Lst  place,  That  as  the  service  of  God  is  the  proper 
object  of  true  Christian /eryoit?',  this  renders  it  necessa- 
ry that  we  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  laws  of 
God,  that  we  may  know  what  particular  services  he  re- 
quires of  us,  and  will  accept  at  our  hands.  A  mistake 
here  is  of  the  most  dangerous  consequence ;  for  if  once 
we  step  aside  from  the  path  of  duty,  the  faster  we  run, 
the  farther  we  depart  from  tlie  right  way,  and  our  return 
to  it  becomes  the  more  uncertain  and  difficult.  Saul  was 
\ try  fervent  in  spirit^  when  he  ^'  breathed  out  threaten- 
ings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord," 
and  "  verily  thought  that  he  ought  to  do  many  things 
contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  :"  And  yet 
this /errour  of  his,  had  not  sovereign  grace  stopped  him 
in  his  mad  career,  would  only  have  hurried  him  down- 
ward to  that  hot  and  dark  place  from  whence  it  most  cer 
tainly  sprung.  We  have  heard  of  some  who,  according 
to  our  Saviour's  prediction,  "  thought  they  did  God  ser- 
vice when  they  killed  his  people;"  and  the  church  of 
Rome  continues  at  this  day  to  afford  an  awful  instance 
of  this  kind,  whose  burning  zeal,  as  indeed  it  may  lite- 


g54  SERMON  XV. 

rally  be  callcMl,  Iialli  already  consumed  all  that  was  moi'-' 
tal  of  some  millions  of  saints;  and  yet,  instead  of  being 
quenched  by  sucb  a  deluge  of  blood,  doth  still  blaze  out 
as  fiercely  as  ever,  where  it  is  not  controlled  by  superior 
force.  I  have  quoted  these  strong  examples  for  illustrat- 
ing the  difference  betwixt  true  Chvisi'mu  fervour  and  that 
eagerness  of  spirit  which  frequently  usurps  its  name;  and 
to  make  you  sensible  how  necessary  it  is  that  we  study 
the  " good  and  perfect  will  of  God,''  for  directing  our 
zeal,  and  confining  it  to  that  sphere  in  which  it  may  and 
ought  to  move. 

2dly.  As  onr  fervour  should  be  employed  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  or  in  those  duties  that  God  hath  plainly 
commanded,  so  it  ought  likewise  to  aim  at  his  glory; 
otherwise  it  is  an  unhallowed  passion,  which  corrupteth 
and  debaseth  every  tiling  that  proceeds  from  it.  The 
want  of  a  right  aim  appears  to  have  been  the  principal 
error  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees;  for  most  of  our  Sa- 
viour's reproofs  evidently  turn  upon  tiiis  very  thing. 
They  prayed,  they  fasted,  they  gave  alms,  and  ^^  com- 
passed sea  and  land"  to  gain  proselytes  to  the  Jewish 
religion;  all  which  were  very  commendable  in  their  own 
nature :  But  herein  lay  their  fault.  They  did  all  ^'  to  be 
seen  of  men :"  popular  applause,  and  the  advancement 
of  their  ov.n  interest,  were  the  ends  they  aimed  at:  not 
the  approbation  of  God,  nor  the  advancement  of  his  hon- 
our and  interest  in  the  world.  Thus  it  often  happens, 
'when  religion  is  in  credit,  that  many  use  it  as  a  politi- 
cal engine  for  helping  them  up  into  a  higher  place,  and 
appear  very  warm  in  professing  their  regard  to  it;  but 
no  sooner  is  that  carnal  fuel  withdrawn,  than  the  flame 
expires,  or  perhaps  is  carried  over  to  the  opposite  side, 
and  burns  as  fiercely  against  religion  as  ever  it  seemed 
to  do  for  it.  Whereas  true  Christian /eri''02tr  carries  the 


SERMON  XV.  S25 

person  beyond  himself  to  that  God  whom  he  adores ; 
and  instead  of  being  cooled  by  the  profane  mockery,  or 
hatred,  or  persecution,  of  wicked  men,  it  rather  becomes 
more  vigorous  and  active,  and  exerts  itself  in  proportion 
to  the  opposition  it  meets  with.  If  God  is  glorified  by 
his  sufferings,  the  fervent  Christian  hath  gained  his  end: 
like  David,  he  is  willing  to  be  still  '•  more  vile,''  still 
more  afflicted ;  and  with  the  apostle  Paul,  he  hath  no 
higher  ambition,  than  that  '^*  Christ  may  be  magnified  in 
his  body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death."  Which 
leads  me  to  observe,  in  the 

Sd  place,  That  this  gracious  temper  extends  its  re- 
gards to  all  God's  commandments.  It  declines  no  duty 
that  bears  the  stamp  of  his  authority ;  for  as  the  glory 
of  God  is  the  great  scope  of  all  its  actings,  whatever 
tends  to  promote  that,  immediately  becomes  the  object 
of  its  choice,  and  the  matter  of  its  most  delightful  and 
vigorous  exercise.  Now,  liere  the  hypocrite  is  always 
found  halting:  he  picks  out  tiie  easiest  parts  of  duty, 
such  as  have  least  self-denial  in  them,  and  most  of  that 
outward  splendour  which  attracts  the  observation  of 
others.  If  he  is  rich,  he  may  abound  in  alms-deeds,  es- 
pecially in  those  instances  of  charity  which  are  most 
likely  to  make  a  noise  in  the  world,  that  his  fame  may 
spread  abroad,  and  bring  him  the  tribute  of  praise  from 
afar.  He  may  attend  upon  the  public  ordinances  of  re- 
ligion, and  sit  like  one  of  the  people  of  God,  with  a  be- 
coming air  of  warm  devotion  ;  but  could  your  eye  follow 
him  into  his  own  house,  you  should  there  behold  a  won- 
derful alteration,  perhaps  a  total  neglect  both  of  family 
and  secret  prayer,  or  at  best  such  a  cold  and  lifeless 
worship,  as  scarcely  deserved  the  name  of  "  bodily  ex- 
ercise" itself.  Whereas  the  upright  Christian  *•  is  in  the 

fear  of  the  Lord  all  the  day  long."    He  considers  his 
VOL.  I.  2d 


gg^  SERMON  XT. 

Judge  as  evermore  present  with  him:  this  awakens  his 
mind,  and  enlivens  his  devotion,  and  hath  a  more  pow- 
erful influence  upon  his  conduct  than  the  applause  or 
censure  of  ten  thousand  worlds  :  this  makes  him  fervent 
in  every  part  of  duty ;  yea,  as  fervmt  in  the  severest  acts 
of  self-denial  as  in  those  instances  of  ohedience  which 
are  accompanied  with  the  most  immediate  advantage  or 
pleasure. 

A  4.<th  distinguishing  property  of  true  Chrislian  fer- 
vour is  this:  It  will  make  us  peculiarly  attentive  to  our 
own  behaviour,  and  begin  with  correcting  what  is  faulty 
in  ourselves. — Many  exclaim  against  the  vices  of  others, 
who  are  extremely  partial  and  indulgent  to  their  own. 
To  such  our  Apostle  addresses  a  very  sharp  reproof, 
ill  the  second  chapter  of  this  epistle,  at  the  beginning: 
<*  Therefore,  thou  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever 
thou  art  that  judg'^st :  for  wherein  thou  judgest  another, 
thou  condemnest  thyself;  for  thou  that  judgest  dost  the 
same  things.  And  thinkest  thou  this,  O  man,  that  judg- 
est them  which  do  such  tilings,  and  dost  the  same,  that 
thou  shalt  escape  the  judgment  of  God?"  >iothingcan 
be  more  disingenuous,  than  for  people  to  profess  a  ha- 
ired of  sin,  and  a  mighty  anxiety  to  have  others  reclaim- 
ed from  it,  when  tlieir  own  conduct  proclaims  that  they 
do  not  hate  it  in  themselves.  Thai  fervour  which  is  of 
the  right  kind,  will  lirst  "  cast  out  the  beam  out  of  our 
own  eye,  before  it  will  suffer  us  to  behold  the  mote  that 
is  in  our  brother's  eye."  It  will  discover  to  us  so  many 
tilings  amiss  in  our  own  vineyards,  that  we  shall  neither 
find  leisure  nor  inclination  to  pry  officiously  into  our 
neighbour's  vineyard  till  these  are  amended.  The  fer- 
vent Christian  will  take  no  rest  till  the  enemies  of  his 
God  be  subdued  witliin  his  own  breast:  "  He  will  never 
think  that  he  hath  already  attained,  either  is  already 


SERMON  XT.  aay 

pprPect;  but,  forgetting  tlie  tilings  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  he 
will  press  toward  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus;" — "  giving  all  diligence 
to  make  his  calling  and  election  sure ;" — and  "  work- 
ing out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." — • 
Nevertheless,  in  the 

5th  pl.ice.  Though  truc/errowr  begins  at  home,  yet 
it  is  not  always  confined  there.  It  w^is  the  speech  of  a 
wicked  Cain,  *'  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?"  The  warm- 
hearted Christian  exten<ls  his  good  offices  to  all  around 
him;  and  useth  all  that  power  and  influence  which  his 
station  gives  him.  to  discourage  vice,  and  to  advance  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world. — Is  he  a  magistrate? 
he  will  not  "  bear  the  sword  in  vain,"  but  faithfully  em- 
ploy it  for  the  terror  of  evil  doers,  and  the  protection  of 
those  that  do  well. — Is  he  a  minister?  he  will  not  "han- 
dle the  word  of  God  deceitfully;"  but,  without  regard- 
ing the  persons  or  passions  of  men,  he  will  openly  de- 
clare the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and,  by  sound  doctrine 
and  good  example,  do  what  in  him  lieth  to  convince  and 
reclaim  the  workers  of  iniquity,  '•  that  they  may  recover 
themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil,  who  are  taken 
captive  by  him  at  his  pleasure." — Is  he  a  parent  or  mas- 
ter? "he  will  walk  within  his  house  with  a  perfect 
heart,"  and  adopt  the  resolution  of  holy  David,  (Psalm 
ci.  6,  7')  "  He  that  walketh  in  a  perfect  way,  he  shall 
serve  me  ;  he  that  worketh  deceit  shall  not  dwell  within 
my  house ;  he  that  telleth  lies  shall  not  tarry  in  my 
sight."  In  short,  whatever  be  his  condition  in  life,  he 
will  embrace  every  opportunity  that  Providence  aftords 
him,  of  advancing  the  glory  of  God,  and  doing  all  the 
good  he  can,  either  to  the  souls  op  bodies  of  men. — Of 
this  we  have  many  eminent  examples  recorded  in  Scrip 


^g  SERMON  XV. 

ture :— Righteous  Lot  was  vexed  from  day  to  day  with 
the  unlawful  deeds  and  filthy  conversation  of  the  So- 
domites, among  whom  he  lived ;  *'  Paul's  spirit  was  stir- 
red in  him"  when  he  beheld  the  city  of  Athens  wholly 
given  to  idolatry ;  and  Phinehas,  the  son  of  Eleazar, 
was  both  commended  and  rewarded,  for  executing  righ- 
teous judgment  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  obtained  "  the 
covenant  of  an  everlasting  priesthood  ;"  for  this  express 
reason.  Because  he  was  zealous  for  his  God. — But  then 
I  must  add,  in  the 

6th  and  last  place.  That  this  fervour  must  be  always 
under  the  direction  of  Christian  prudence,  that  it  may 
not  break  out  into  indecent  heats,  and  carry  us  beyond 
the  limits  of  our  oflBce  or  station  in  the  society  to  which 
we  belong.  If  we  step  out  of  our  proper  sphere,  we 
trespass  against  that  subordination  which  the  providence 
of  God  hath  established ;  and  no  pretence  to  religious 
zeal  can  justify  our  conduct.  Such  fervour  is  not  inspir- 
ed by  the  Spirit  of  grace,  but  is  the  strange  and  unhal- 
lowed fire  of  disorderly  passion,  which  can  never  find 
acceptance  with  that  God,  whose  declared  will  it  is, 
^^  that  all  things  should  be  done  decently  and  in  order." 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  that  fervour  of  spirit  with 
which  the  Apostle  exhorteth  us  to  serve  the  Lord. 

To  recommend  and  enforce  this  gracious  temper  was 
the  second  thing  proposed  in  the  method. — And  now 
that  I  am  to  enter  upon  this  part  of  the  subject,  I  would 
earnestly  intreat  your  most  serious  attention.  Consider 
that  I  speak  not  only  hfore  you,  but  to  you  ;  and  that 
not  in  my  own  name,  but  in  the  name  of  that  glorious 
Person  "  by  wiiom  God  will  judge  the  world  in  righte- 
ousness ;  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men, 
in  that  he  raised  hinr  from  the  dead."  That  you  may  be 
ready  for  that  awful  trial,  and  appear  with  humble  bold- 


SERMON  XV.  229 

ness  in  his  presence,  when  careless  and  trifling  sinners 
shall  hang  their  heads,  and  stand  speechless  and  self-con- 
demned before  his  tremendous  throne ;  this  is  the  errand 
upon  which  I  come  to  you ;  no  other,  no  lower  errand 
than  this. — If  the  bare  title  of  Christians  would  gain 
you  admittance  into  the  heavenly  glory;  if  a  cold  and 
barren  profession  of  religion,  or  the  practice  of  some  ea- 
sy and  common  duties,  would  render  you  meet  for  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light ;  if  God  deserved  or  re- 
quired no  more  than  what  the  world  and  the  flesh  can 
spare;  I  should  be  indiscreet  for  attempting  to  disturb 
your  repose. — But  if  these  things  be  otherwise ;  if  it 
shall  profit  us  nothing  to  "  call  Christ  Lord,  Lord,-'  un- 
less we  "  do  the  things  which  he  saith ;"  if  sloth  be  ac- 
counted wickedness  by  the  righteous  Judge  of  all  the 
earth,  and  as  such  shall  be  punished  by  him  in  the  great 
day  of  retribution ; — then  T  should  be  unfaithful  to  God, 
and  cruel  to  your  souls,  if  I  did  not  summon  you  to  your 
duty,  and  vehemently  urge  you,  in  the  words  of  my  text, 
to  he  fervent  in  spirit^  serving  the  Lord. — Consider,  in 
the 

ist  place.  That  God  deserves  the  most  zealous  and 
active  service  we  can  pay  to  him.  Surely  this  assertion 
doth  not  require  a  formal  proof;  the  evidence  of  its  truth 
is  so  plain  and  obvious,  that  the  most  simple  and  illite- 
rate must  perceive  it  at  once. — Dare  any  of  you  say  that 
it  is  possible  to  render  unto  God  more  than  you  owe  him? 
If  you  should,  I  need  not  go  far  for  arguments  to  con- 
fute you ;  I  can  fetch  them  from  yourselves,  from  every 
member  of  your  bodies,  from  every  faculty  of  your  souls. 
— Who  made  thee,  O  man? — This  is  the  first  question 
that  children  are  taught  to  answer;  though,  alas!  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  many  grown  people  answer  it  like  chil- 
dren, and  need  to  be  sent  to  school  again  to  learn  its 


230  SERMON  XY. 

meaning.  Is  God  thy  Creator?  was  it  lie  who  "  clothed 
thee  with  skin  and  flesh,  and  fenced  thee  with  bones  and 
sinews?"  Was  it  he  who  breathed  into  thy  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life,  and  made  thee  a  living  soul?  Are  all  the 
endowments  of  thy  mind,  thy  understanding,  thy  memo. 
ry,  thy  will,  and  thy  affections;  are  all  these  the  fruits 
of  his  bounty?  Doth  his  merciful  visitation  every  mo- 
ment  preserve  thy  spirit,  keep  thy  body  from  the  dust, 
and  thy  soul  from  the  place  of  anguish  and  despair?— 
And  after  all,  is  it  possible,  that  thy  soul  or  thy  body 
can  exceed  in  his  service,  or  be  employed  with  too  much 
zeal  for  his  honour?  Stand  forth,  0  man!  and  reply  if 
thou  canst.  What!  doth  this  plain,  I  had  almost  called 
it  this  childish,  question  put  thee  to  a  stand?  How  inex- 
cusable then  is  thy  slotb?  How  just,  and,  Oh !  how 
dreadful,  must  thy  condemnation  be? 

But,  my  brethren,  these  are  not  all  the  mercies  you 
have  received,  and  are  daily  receiving  from  God.  He  is 
not  only  your  Creator,  your  Preserver,  and  Benefactor; 
but  he  hath  bound  you  to  his  service  by  the  still  more 
endearing  ties  of  redeeming  grace  and  love :  He  sent  liis 
own  Son  into  the  world  to  save  you,  to  save  you  by  his 
death :  Amazing  goodness !  to  shed  his  blood  for  the  ex- 
piation of  your  guilt :  And  can  you  exceed  in  your  gra- 
titude to  such  a  friend?  is  it  possible  you  can  render  un- 
to him  more  than  is  due,  or  serve  him  with  too  great 
zeal  a.u(\  fervour  P 

But  2dly.  God  not  only  deserves  such  service  as  I  am 
pleading  for;  he  likewise  demands  it,  peremptorily  de- 
mands  it,  and  will  not  be  put  off  with  any  thing  less. — 
*^  Be  not  deceived,"  saith  this  holy  Apostle,  ''  God  is 
not  mocked;  for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he 
also  reap :  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh 
reap  corruption ;  and  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall 


SERMON  XV.  S3l 

of  the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting."  If  any  imagine  that 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  relax  their  obligations  to 
a  holy  life,  they  are  grossly  mistaken ;  and  if  they  act 
upon  that  principle,  they  shall  find  themselves  fatally 
disappointed  at  last.  St.  Paul  knew  of  no  such  indul- 
gence when  he  wrote  to  Titus,  that  '^  the  grace  of  God, 
which  bringeth  salvation,  teacheth  us,  that,  denying  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world."  Our  Sa- 
viour gave  countenance  to  no  such  opinion,  when  he  ex- 
horted his  disciples  to  *'  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate;"  and  told  them  in  plain  and  awful  terms,  that 
"  except  their  righteousness  should  exceed  the  righte- 
ousness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  they  should  in  no 
case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  This,  my  bre- 
thren, is  the  uniform  language  of  holy  writ ;  the  words 
of  my  text  are  clear  and  strong;  and  it  deserves  our  no- 
tice, that  they  are  part  of  an  epistle  wherein  the  grace 
of  the  new  covenant  is  most  accurately  described,  and 
zealously  defended ;  which,  no  doubt,  must  add  a  con- 
siderable weight  to  them.  The  slothful  professor  coun- 
teracts the  whole  design  of  the  gospel;  for  the  plan  of 
man's  redemption  was  so  wisely  laid,  that  not  only  the 
comfort  of  the  Christian,  but  his  improvement  in  holi- 
ness also,  should  be  gradually  advanced  to  full  maturity. 
The  design  of  Christ's  death  was  not  merely  to  reconcile 
God  to  us,  but  likewise  to  reconcile  us  to  God ;  that  his 
generous  and  unmerited  love  might  overcome  our  enmi- 
ty, make  us  ashamed  of  our  ingratitude,  and  powerfully 
constrain  us  to  live,  not  unto  ourselves,  but  unto  him 
who  died  for  us,  and  rose  again." 

A  ^th  motive  to  fervour  and  diligence  in  the  service 
of  God,  ariseth  from  the  difficulties  that  attend  our  duty. 
The  Christian's  work  is  compared  to  a  warfare  5  he  must 


282  SERMON  XV. 

dispute  every  inch  of  ground,  and  fight  his  way  through 
surrounding  enemies.  It  is  no  easy  matter  "  to  pluck  out 
a  right  eye,  and  to  cut  off  a  right  hand ;''  that  is,  to  re- 
nounce those  sins  to  which  we  have  been  so  long  habi- 
tuated, that  they  are  in  a  manner  become  parts  of  our- 
selves, and  no  less  dear  to  us  than  the  most  useful  and 
necessary  members  of  our  body;  yet  to  this  we  must 
consent  before  we  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— It  appears  a  hard  command  that  God  gave  to  Abra- 
ham, ''  Take  now  thy  son,  thine  only  son  Isaac,  whom 
thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  into  the  land  of  Moriah,  and 
offer  him  there  for  a  burnt-offering  upon  one  of  the  moun- 
tains that  I  shall  tell  thee  of."  But  is  not  that  other  com- 
mand at  least  equally  severe.  Take  now  thy  lust,  thy 
beloved  lust,  from  which  thou  hast  promised  thyself  the 
greatest  returns  of  profit  or  pleasure,  bring  it  hither  im- 
mediately, and  slay  it  before  me,  without  the  ceremony 
of  one  parting  embrace?  This,  my  brethren,  is  difficult 
work  indeed.  Isaac  lay  meekly  and  patiently  on  the  al- 
tar ;  but  so  will  not  our  lusts ;  no,  they  will  struggle,  and 
cry,  and  plead  for  mercy,  and  use  every  insinuating  me- 
thod of  address,  to  prevent,  or  at  least  to  retard  the 
stroke.  But  neither  is  this  all ;  those  inward  corruptions, 
formidable  as  they  are,  yet  are  they  not  the  only  enemies 
we  have  to  grapple  with :  The  devil  is  an  adversary 
both  cunning  and  strong,  very  formidable  by  his  power 
as  *' the  roaring  lion;"  but  still  more  formidable  by  his 
craft,  as  that  ''  old  serpent,"  who  can  vary  his  shape, 
and  put  on  the  appearance  of  an  angel  of  light,  that,  in 
a  form  so  specious,  he  may  get  access  to  our  hearts  with 
greater  ease,  and  fill  them  with  his  poison  before  we  are 
aware. — This  earth  too  upon  which  we  tread  is  full  of 
snares ;  and  every  state  or  condition  of  life  hath  some 
temptation  or  other  peculiar  to  itself,  as  we  learn  from 


SERMON  XV.  233 

that  well-conceived  prayer  of  Agur,  (Prov.  xxx.  8,  9.) 
'^  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies ;  give  me  neither 
poverty  nor  riches,  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me : 
lest  1  be  full  and  deny  thee,  and  say,  who  is  the  Lord? 
or,  lest  I  he  poor  and  steal,  and  take  the  name  of  my 
God  in  vain.'^  Besides,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  events, 
*^  all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  per- 
secution" in  one  kind  or  other.  The  Christian  is  bound 
not  only  to  avoid  conformity  to  the  world,  but,  on  all 
proper  occasions,  to  testify  his  dislike  of  its  corrupt 
maxims  and  practices ;  which  cannot  fail  to  draw  upon 
him  a  considerable  share  of  hatred  and  resentment.  Sin- 
gularity is  enougli  to  beget  ill  will :  but  if  a  person  shall 
not  only  use  diiFerent  manners,  but  likewise  condemn 
the  manners  of  those  among  whom  he  lives,  which  the 
most  prudent  and  modest  disciple  of  Jesus  may  some- 
times find  himself  obliged  to  do;  this  will  not  easily  be 
forgiven ;  such  a  one  can  expect  no  better  treatment  than 
Lot  had  from  the  Sodomites,  who  could  not  bear  that  a 
fellow,  as  they  called  him,  "  who  came  in  to  sojourn," 
should  pretend  to  be  their  judge. — Such  are  the  difficul- 
ties that  attend  religion ;  and  do  not  these  make  zeal  or 
fervour  necessary! — I  shall  only  add,  in  the 

'^th  place.  That  we  should  be  fervent  in  spirit,  serv- 
ing the  Lord;  because,  as  I  have  already  observed,  it 
is  absolutely  impossible  that  we  can  do  too  much.  Were 
we  in  any  danger  of  exceeding,  there  would  no  doubt  be 
cause  to  moderate  our  zeal :  but  this  is  not  the  case;  for 
after  "  we  have  done  all  those  things  which  are  com- 
manded us,"  we  shall  still  have  reason  to  say,  "  We 
are  unprofitable  servants ;  we  have  done  that  which  was 
our  duty  to  do.** — True  it  is,  that  in  particular  exercises 
of  religion  there  may  be  an  overdoing;  for  one  duty  may 
justly  be  said  to  exceed,  when  it  thrusts  out  another  of 

VOL.  I.  g  E 


334}  SERMON  XV. 

greater,  or  even  of  equal  importance,  or  which  is  more 
the  duty  of  the  season  than  itself;  but  so  long  as  we  re- 
gulate our  services  by  the  word  of  (iod,  in  which  case 
alone  they  are  proper  acts  of  oI)edience,  we  need  not  be 
afraid  of  becoming  '•  righteous  overmuch."  One  thing 
is  certain,  that  the  most  serious  Christians,  when  they 
came  to  die,  have  always  lamented  their  former  negli- 
gence: and  the  time  is  at  hand,  when  all  the  world  shall 
confess,  that  holy  diligence  was  the  truest  wisdom;  and 
that  they,  and  they  nnly  made  choice  of  the  better  part, 
who  minded  the  •'  one  thing  needful,"  and  were  fervent 
in  spirit,  sewing  the  Lord. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  my  design,  upon  the 
whole,  is  to  excite  you  to  a  proper  concern  about  the 
salvation  of  your  precious  and  immortal  souls.  It  is  not 
a  system  of  opinions  thai  will  carry  any  man  to  heaven: 
our  knowledge  of  the  truth  shall  only  serve  to  condemn 
us,  if  we  do  not  receive  the  truth  into  our  hearts,  and 
suffer  H  to  influence  both  our  temper  and  practice.  I  am 
far  from  thinking  that  men  may  be  saved  in  any  reli- 
gion, however  false,  provided  only  they  be  sincere  in 
the  belief,  and  obedient  to  the  dictates,  of  that  religion 
they  profess;  but  of  this  I  am  fully  persuaded,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  no  religion  can  save  a  man  who  is  not  se- 
rious in  it,  and  who  doth  not  yield  himself  entirely  to  its 
government.  Can  it  avail  us  any  thing,  that  we  profess 
i\\etrue  religicm,  if  we  ourselves  dive  false  to  that  reli- 
gion? No,  surely:  The  religion  indeed  is  good,  but  it 
is  not  our  religion;  it  is  our  book  that  contains  the  true 
religion,  but  not  our  heart;  and  therefore  it  can  no 
more  save  us  than  the  best  food  can  nourish  us,  and 
preserve  our  life,  which  only  standeth  upon  the  table, 
or  which  never  goeth  farther  than  our  mouth. 

Let  me  therefore  entreat  you  to  comply  with  the 


SERMON  XV.  235 

Apostle's  exhortation  in  my  text.  I  speak  to  you  who 
are  Christians  indeed;  because  you  alone  are  in  a  ca- 
pacity o^  serving  the  Lord;  for  "  they  that  are  in  the 
flesh,"  who  were  never  cut  off  from  the  natural  stock,  t^ 
and  ingrafted  inio  Christ  the  true  vine,  such  persons, 
tlie  Apostle  tells  us,  (Rom.  viii.  8.)  *•  cannot  please 
God."  They  may  perform  the  outward  acts  of  duty, 
they  may  even  do  them  with  a  considerable  degree  of 
natural  fervour ;  l)ut  all  the  while  their  most  specious 
services  are  only  dead  works,  offered  up  with  "strange 
fire,"  which  cannot  ascend  to  God  with  acceptance.  I 
speak  therefor*'  to  the  living  numbers  of  Christ,  to  those 
who  are  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God;  and  my  re- 
quest to  you  is,  that,  from  this  time  forward,  you  should 
**stir  up  the  gift  of  God  that  is  in  you,"  and  be  fervent 
in  spirit f  serving  the  Lord. 

The  declining  interest  of  religion  requires  all  the  sup- 
port you  can  give  it.  Men  are  wearing  out  of  acquaint- 
ance with  God;  nor  is  it  greatly  to  be  wondered  at,  see- 
ing his  image  is  so  faintly  to  be  discerned,  even  upon 
those  who  are  really  his  children.  Look  around  you, 
and  observe  how  active  and  violent  wicked  men  are  ia 
the  service  of  Satan  :  their  pace,  like  "  the  driving  of 
Jehu,  the  son  of  Xinishi.  is  swift  and  furious."  With 
what  zeal,  with  what  carefulness,  with  what  self-deni- 
al— 1  had  almost  said,  with  what  fear  and  trembling — ' 
do  many  of  them  work  out  their  own  damnation ! 
^•'  drawing  iniquity  with  cords  of  vanity,  and  sinning  as 
with  a  cart-rope!"  And  will  you  be  cold  and  negligent, 
nay,  timorous  and  shamefaced,  in  the  service  of  the  true 
and  living  God?  Oh!  how  unseemly,  how  scandalous, 
how  hurtful  were  this!  hurtful  to  yourselves,  hurtful  to 
your  fellow  Christians,  hurtful  even  to  the  wicked  with 
whom  you  converse;  they  know  that  heaven  and  hell 
are  in  direct  opposition,  and  consequently  that  the  roads 


336  SERMON  XV. 

which  lead  to  them  must  be  widely  distant  from  each 
other;  and  therefore  they  will  never  be  persuaded  that 
they  shall  be  thrust  down  into  utter  darkness,  if  such  as 
you,  who  in  appearance  arc  treading  the  same  paths 
that  they  do,  shall  get  to  heaven  at  last.  Ungrateful 
servants !  how  hath  your  Redeemer  deserved  this  at 
your  hands?  Is  this  the  way  to  gain  men's  hearts  to  the 
love  of  holiness?  Would  you  wish  the  world  to  write 
after  so  imperfect  and  blotted  a  copy  as  you  set  before 
them?  1  beseech,  I  obtest  you,  by  all  the  regard  you 
have  for  tlie  glory  of  God,  your  own  comfort,  and  the 
good  of  others,  that  henceforth  you  would  distinguish 
yourselves  more  visibly  from  "  the  men  of  the  world 
who  have  their  portion  in  this  life."  "  Have  no  fellow- 
ship with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  ratlier 
reprove  them."  Let  Christianity  be  so  deeply  engraved 
on  every  part  of  your  conduct,  that  he  who  runs  may 
read  whose  servants  vou  are,  and  thus  God  may  be  slo- 
rifled  in  his  saints.  It  is  a  mean,  inglorious  aim,  merely 
to  keep  within  the  limits  which  divide  the  lawful  from 
the  forbidden  ground. — Show  that  you  are  men  of 
"  another  spirit,"  by  *^  following  the  Lord  fully,"  and 
straining  every  nerve,  as  it  were,  to  attain  the  highest 
perfection  of  which  our  nature  is  capable  in  its  present 
imperfect  state.  Let  faith  realize  to  you  the  life  of  Jesus ; 
and  beg  of  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  that  he,  by  his  Spirit, 
may  kindle  that  holy  fire  in  your  hearts,  which  shall 
gradually  consume  all  your  dross,  and  carry  you  swiftly 
forward  to  the  Zion  above,  that  imperial  city  of  the 
great  King,  where,  like  those  flaming  ministers  who  sur- 
round his  throne,  you  shall  serve  God  day  and  night  in 
liis  temple,  without  interruption,  without  imperfection, 
and  without  weariness.  To  which  exalted  felicity,  may 
God,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  bring  us  all  in  due  time, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  tlmen. 


237 

Numb.  xiv.  24. 

But  my  servant  Calebj  because  he  had  another  spirit 
with  him,  and  hath  followed  me  fullly;  him  will 
I  bring  into  the  land  whereunto  he  went;  and  his 
seed  shall  possess  it. 


X  PROPOSE  to  recommend  to  your  imitatiou  this  illustri- 
ous servant  of  the  most  high  God,  whose  name  is  re- 
corded with  such  distinguished  honour  in  the  passage  1 
have  just  now  read  in  your  hearing.  Caleb  followed  the 
Jjord fully,  and  obtained  a  glorious  reward ;  and  if  we 
hope  or  wish  to  be  rewarded  as  he  was,  reason  teachetli 
us,  that  we  should  walk  in  his  steps,  and  do  as  he  did. 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  hy  folloicing  the  Lord 
fully P  This  question  is  first  in  order;  and  after  I  jiave 
endeavoured  to  give  a  satisfying  answer  to  it,  I  shall 
then  proceed  to  press  the  duty  by  some  motives  and  ar- 
guments. 

Let  us  begin  with  inquiring  what  we  are  to  under- 
stand by  following  the  Lord  fully. 

And  here  I  must  observe  in  the  entrance,  that  no  raau 
can  follow  the  Lord  at  all  till  once  he  be  acquainted 
with  him  ;  "  For  he  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe 
that  he  is,  and  that  iie  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  dili- 
gently seek  him."  A  slavish,  reluctant  subjection  there 
may  be ;  but  there  cannot  be  a  voluntary,  far  less  an 
unreserved  obedience,  without  affectionate  trust  and 
filial  confidence.    Before  we  can  follow  God,  we  must 


238  SERMON  XVI. 

not  only  know  that  he  is  supreme,  and  hath  a  right  to 
command ;  but  we  must  likewise  believe  that  he  is  wor- 
thy  to  command,    and   infinitely  possessed  of  all  those 
perfections  wiiich  qualify  him   to  govern  the  creatures 
he  haih  made.  Two  things  we  must  be  thoroughly  per- 
suaded of;  ^rsf,   That  the  laws  of  our  Sovereign  are 
righteous  and  good ;    and,  next,  That  he  is  both  able 
and  willing  to  protect  us  in  his  service.    And  indeed, 
my  brethren,  had  we  never  offended  God,  these  views 
alone  would  have  been  sufficient  inducements  \o  folluw 
him  fully;  but  as  we  are  guilty  creatures,  and  liable  to 
punishment,  some  farther  discoveries  are  now  become 
necessary.  We  need  something  to  vanquish  tijose  fears 
of  wrath,  which  would  rather  pr(»mpt  us  to  fly  from  the 
presence  of  our  Judge  than  to   make  an  uncertain  at- 
tempt to  pacify   him  by  submission;  some  scheme  of 
grace  must  be  opened  to  our  view,  by   which  pardon 
may  be  dispensed  to  the  guilty,  and  strength  imparted 
to  the  weak,  in  a  way  (hat  appears  consistent  with  the 
honour  of  the  divine  government.     Nay,  we  must  not 
only  know  that   such  a  scheme  exists,   but  we  on  our 
part  must  cordially  approve  of  it ;  and,  by  our  personal 
consent,  ascertain  our  claim  to  that  merry   and   grace 
which  it  offers  to  sinners ;  that,  being  at  peace  with  God, 
we  may  no  longer  dread   him  as  an  enemy,  but  love 
him  as  a  Father,  and  serve  him  with  joy,  being  assured 
that  "  our  labour  shall  not  be  in  vain.'' 

This  being  premised,  as  a  necessary  preparative  for 
folloiving  the  Lord  fully,  the  duty  itself  may  be  consi- 
dered as  including  the  following  particulars: 

ist.  That  Me  acknowledge  no  other  Lord  beside 
him.  One  Lord  we  must  have;  for  it  is  folly  to  imagine 
we  can  be  independent  and  free.  Man  was  made  to 
serve;  and  nothing  is  left  to  him  but  the  choice  of  his 


SERMON  XVI.  239 

master.  But  more  than  one  Lord  we  cannot  have,  un- 
less by  a  derived  or  delegated  authority.  He  w  ho  is  su- 
preme may  appoint  another  to  rule  under  him,  and  to 
enforce  the  observance  of  his  laws  ;  and  when  both  con- 
cur in  tliesiinie  command,  then  both  may  be  served  by 
one  act  of  obe<lience  :  but  "  no  man  can  serve  two  oppo- 
site masters;  for  either  lie  will  hate  the  one  and  love  the 
the  other,  or  else  he  will  iiold  to  tlie  one  and  despise  the 
other.  We  cannot  serve  God  and  Mammon."  And  there- 
fore to  folloio  the  Lord  fully  is  to  follow  him  onhj;  it  is 
to  make  his  will  the  sole  and  absolute  rule  of  our  con- 
duct, in  opposition  to  our  own  iiumour,  the  temptations 
of  Satan,  and  the  corrupt  maxims  of  a  world  that  lieth 
in  wickedness. 

2dly.  To  follow  the  Lord  fidlij  is  to  obey  him  with- 
out any  reserve  or  limitation :  it  is  to  serve  him  with  an 
affectionate  and  liberal  heart;  and  to  do  this  at  all  times. 
Each  of  these  might  be  considered  apart;  but  ]  have 
chosen  to  join  them  together  under  one  head,  as  ihey 
serve  to  illustrate  and  support  one  another. 

Our  obedience,  I  say,  must  be  without  reserve  or  limi- 
tation; for  unless  we  follow  the  Lord  in  all  things,  we 
cannot  truly  be  said  to  follow  him  in  any  (iiing.  VV^e 
give  cause  to  suspect,  that  when,  in  other  instances,  we 
perform  the  duties  he  enjoins,  yet  even  in  those  we  are 
governed  by  something  else  than  a  regard  to  his  autho- 
rity; and  that,  though  we  seem  to  follow  liim,  yet,  in 
reality  we  are  prosecuting  some  interested  scheme  of  our 
own,  and  are  seeking  ourselves  instead  of  serving  our 
God.  The  universality  of  our  obedience,  then,  is  the 
only  proof  of  our  sincerity;  for  '•  whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of 
all.''  We  do  not  follow  the  Lord  fully,  unless  we  follow 
him  whithersoever  he  leadeth  us,  through  the  most  rug- 


g40  SERMON  XVI. 

ged  patlis  of  self-denial  and  mortification,  as  well  as  ia 
those  smooth,  delightful  ways  in  which  we  find  the  most 
immediate  advantage  and  pleasure.  Again,  we  must 
serve  him  with  an  affectionate  and  liberal  heart ;  conti- 
nually asking  such  questions  as  tliese :  ^*  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  and,  "  What  shall  I  render 
unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  ?"  The  term  following 
plainly  implies  this.  A  person  may  be  dragged  or  dri- 
ven against  his  will,  but  io  follow  is  an  act  of  choice  ;  it 
denotes  a  voluntary  and  cheerful  obedience ;  a  service 
of /ore,  which  is  not  sparing  or  niggardly,  but  always 
deviscth  liberal  things.  Would  we  then  follow  the  Lord 
fully,  we  must  be  '"  ready  to  every  good  work ;"  and 
not  only  embrace  opportunities  of  service  when  they 
present  themselves,  but  even  seek  out  opportunities  of 
improving  those  talents  with  which  we  are  entrusted, 
that,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  parable,  ^'  when  our  Mas- 
ter returns,  he  may  receive  his  own  with  usury."  I  fur- 
ther added,  that  we  should  behave  after  this  manner  at 
all  times ;  that  our  conduct  on  every  occasion  may  be 
consistent  and  uniform.  Tlie.  true  servant  of  the  Lord 
must  always  be  one  man,  speaking  the  same  language, 
and  observing  the  same  conduct  in  every  place  and  in 
every  company.  Which  leads  rae  to  a 

Sd  Remark  of  considerable  importance ;  namely, 
That  io  follow  the  Lord  fully,  is  to  follow  him  openly, 
and  in  the  face  of  the  world.  We  must  not  think  of 
stealing  to  heaven  by  some  clandestine,  unfrequented 
path,  as  if  we  were  ashamed  of  being  seen,  or  afraid 
lest  it  should  be  known  to  what  family  we  belonged  : 
this  is  a  sneaking,  cowardly  artifice;  so  base  in  itself, 
and  so  ungrateful  to  the  kindest,  as  well  as  to  the  great- 
est and  most  honourable  Master,  that,  were  it  not  too 


SERMON  xn.  g4i 

commonly  practised,  one  should  scarcely  think  it  need- 
ful to  be  mentioned. 

There  are  two  extremes  into  which  people  are  apt  to 
run,  and  both  ought  to  be  guarded  against  with  equal 
care.  Some  proclaim  their  religion  as  on  the  house  tops; 
they  love  to  talk  of  their  high  attainments,  and  discover 
an  anxiety  to  make  themselves  observable,  and  to  gain 
the  admiration  and  applause  of  their  neighbours.  This 
our  Saviour  expressly  condemns,  Matth.  vi.  from  the  1st 
to  the  19th  verse,  where  he  tells  his  disciples,  that  they 
who  fast,  or  pray,  or  give  alms,  to  be  seen  of  men,  only 
serve  themselves;  and  what  is  the  consequence?  It  is 
but  just  they  should  be  left  to  reward  themselves  as  they 
can;  for  duties  done  with  such  an  aim  can  never  be  ac- 
cepted by  God  as  any  part  of  that  religious  homage  he 
requires.  Others  again,  from  a  false  modesty  and  bash- 
fulness,  or  perhaps  a  pretended  dislike  of  ostentation 
and  hypocrisy,  run  into  the  opposite  extreme;  they  hide 
their  light,  (if  any  light  they  have)  they  hide  it,  I  say^, 
"  under  a  bushel,"'  as  the  Scriptures  express  it.  They 
go  as  great  lengths  as  they  dare,  in  a  servile  compliance 
"with  the  humours  and  customs  of  the  world;  and  even 
keep  at  an  affected  distance  from  every  thing  that  might 
betray  any  serious  impression  of  God  upon  their  minds. 

Now,  the  duty  I  am  recommending  lies  at  an  equal 
distance  from  both  these  extremes.  It  is  a  profession 
that  is  neither  ostentatious  nor  shame-faced;  it  neither 
courts  observation  nor  avoids  it.  The  true  follower  of 
the  Lord,  keeping  the  laws  of  his  Master  continually  in 
his  eye,  performs  every  duty  in  its  place  and  season.  It 
appears  a  small  matter  to  him  to  be  ''judged  of  man's 
judgment;"  he  endeavours  ''so  to  speak,"  and  so  to  act, 
"  not  as  pleasing  men,  but  God,  which  trieth  the  heart." 
He  doth  not  shun  the  view  of  his  fellow-creatures,  b>it 

VOL.  I.  3  F 


^4,3  SERMON  XVI. 

is  willing  lo  give  all  who  choose  it  an  opportunity  of 
learning,  from  his  conduct,  tlie  nature  and  spirit  of  that 
religion  he  hath  embraced.  He  feels,  and  practically 
acknowledgeth,  the  divine  authority  of  such  precepts  as 
these:  '^Lct  your  moderation  be  known  to  all  men;" 
^^  Provide  things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men ;''  and, 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  His  soul  is  alarmed  witli  that  awful  declara- 
tion of  our  Saviour,  (Luke  ix.  36.)  "  Whosoever  shall 
be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my  words,  of  hira  also  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  shall  come  in  his 
own  glory,  and  in  his  Father's  glory,  and  of  the  holy 
angels."  Would  we  ^Xvtw follow  the  Lordfulhjf  we  must 
confess  him  openly,  and  dare  to  be  holy  in  spite  of  de- 
vils and  men.  We  must  "  be  blameless  and  harmless, 
the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crook- 
ed and  perverse  generation, — holding  forth  the  word  of 
life."  Once  more,  in  the 

4i/t  place.  To  follow  the  Lord  fully,  is  to  cleave  to 
him  steadfastly  when  others  forsake  him ;  and  to  perse- 
vere in  his  service,  even  when  it  exposeth  us  to  the 
world's  hatred,  and  the  persecution  of  wicked  and  un- 
reasonable men.  It  was  on  account  of  this  brave  and 
honourable  singularity  that  Caleb  obtained  the  title  of  a 
man  of  another  spirit.  He  was  one  of  four,  among  some 
hundred  thousands,  who  retained  his  loyalty  to  the  King 
of  heaven;  for  besides  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  his  own 
companion  Joshua,  it  doth  not  appear  that  there  was 
one  dissenting  voice  in  all  the  tribes  of  Israel ;  the  re- 
volt was  universal,  the  whole  congregation  rebelled 
against  their  God.  Nay,  he  was  not  only  singular,  but 
liis  singularity  drew  upon  him  the  resentment  of  his  bre- 
thren. Orders  were  given  "  to  stone  him  to  death ;"  and 


SERMON  XVI.  243 

they  were  on  the  point  of  doing  it,  when  "  the  glory  of 
God  appearing  in  the  tabernacle"  checked  their  fury, 
and  protected  the  life  of  this  illustrious  saint.  Thus  it 
was  that  Caleb  followed  the  Lord  fully ;  and  thus  must 
we  also  do  if  we  aspire  to  iiis  reward.  Instead  of  shrink- 
ing at  persecution,  if  that  should  be  our  lot,  we  must 
rather  "  rejoice  that  we  are  counted  worthy  to  sufier 
shame''  in  the  cause  of  our  Lord ;  and  even  esteem  it  a 
privilege,  *^that  to  us  it  is  given,  in  the  behalf  of  Christ, 
not  only  to  believe  in  his  name,  but  likewise  to  suifer  for 
his  sake." 

The  amount  of  all  I  have  said  is  this  :  If  we  would 
follow  the  Lord  fully,  after  the  pattern  in  my  text,  We 
must  acknowledge  no  other  master  besides  him ;  we  must 
obey  him  in  all  things ;  we  must  do  this  at  all  times ;  and 
serve  "  him  with  an  affectionate  and  liberal  heart ;  not 
grudgingly,  or  as  of  necessity ;"  for  "  the  Lord  loveth 
a  cheerful  giver ;" — we  must  follow  him  openly,  and  in 
the  face  of  the  sun ;  and  then  we  must  persevere  in  our 
attendance  upon  him,  though  no  man  should  join  with 
us  ;  nay,  though  earth  and  hell  should  unite  their  force, 
and  both  rise  up  in  arms  to  oppose  us. 

You  have  now  seen  the  aim  of  my  discourse ;  and 
may  I  not  hope  to  succeed  in  it  ?  I  am  asking  nothing 
that  is  unreasonable,  nothing  that  you  yourselves  can 
find  any  pretence  to  refuse,  xlll  I  ask  is,  in  tlie 

ist  place,  That  you  should  be  honest  men. 

You  call  yourselves  Christians  :  and  what  is  my  re- 
quest, but  that  you  be  Christians  indeed P  So  that  in  re- 
ality it  is  the  cause  of  your  own  honour  I  am  pleading 
with  you.  A  man  of  spirit  and  integrity  is  a  character 
that  universally  commands  esteem ;  but  it  is  impossible 
to  support  tliat  honourable  character  by  any  otiier  means 
than  by  followu^^  the  Lord  fully.    Enemies  you  may 


344  SERMON  XVI. 

have ;  I  ought  rather  to  have  said  enemies  you  shall 
have,  some,  perliaps,  perversely  and  maliciously,  who 
may  slander  you  as  hypocrites :  but  a  steadfast  and  uni- 
form  perseverance  in  holiness,  if  it  disarm  not  their  ma- 
lice, will  at  length  confute  their  reproach.  Whereas 
your  swerving  from  duty,  either  to  gain  (he  favour  of 
men,  or  to  avoid  their  displeasure,  cannot  fail  to  expose 
you  to  their  contempt  and  scorn :  Kevvard  you  they  may; 
but,  Oh !  how  low  must  you  sink  in  their  esteem  !  And 
then  what  a  triumph  will  it  give  to  the  wicked,  who  only 
wait  for  your  halting?  How  will  it  whet  their  tongues, 
and  give  them  an  edge  that  shall  pierce  you  to  the  quick  ? 
For  this  you  may  lay  your  account  with,  that  their  cen- 
sures of  you  shall  be  far  more  severe  and  unmerciful 
than  those  they  employ  against  others,  who  make  no 
profession  of  religion;  nay,  their  censures  shall  be  more 
severely  felt  by  yourselves,  because  you  will  find  some- 
thing within  you  tliat  tells  you  they  are  just.  The  har- 
dened sinner  can  assume  an  air  of  confidence  and  intre- 
pidity ;  conscience  being  seared  gives  him  no  distur- 
bance within  ;  so  that  his  external  appearance  is  all  he 
hath  to  attend  unto  :  but  the  sense  of  having  acted  wrong, 
will  draw  your  attention  inward,  and  leave  your  coun- 
tenance to  express  every  outward  symptom  of  timidity 
and  self-reproach.  Whereas,  hy  following  the  Lord  ful- 
ly, you  shall  by  degrees  acquire  a  lirmness  and  indepen- 
dency of  spirit,  that  will  enable  you  at  all  times  to  be- 
liave  with  a  genuine  and  well-supported  dignity.  This 
shall  give  you  an  irresistible  superiority  over  the  hearts 
of  wicked  men,  which  shall  overawe  Ihem  in  secret,  and 
constrain  their  homage,  in  the  same  proportion  that  it 
excites  their  hatred  and  envy.  Thus  we  read,  that  "  He- 
rod feared  John,"  even  when  he  threw  him  into  prison; 
and  he  feared  him,  as  St.  Mark  informs  uS;  purely  up 


SERMON  XVI.  245 

on  this  account,  '•  because  he  knew  that  he  was  a  just 
and  holy  man/*' 

^dly.  The  duty  I  am  recommending  is  equally  neces- 
sary to  secure  the  inward  peace  and  tranquillity  of  your 
minds :  it  contributes  to  your  interest  no  less  than  to  your 
honour.  How  miserable  is  the  man  who  hath  \a  ar  and 
discord  witliin  his  own  breast !  This  is  worse  than  death, 
for  that  onl}'  tears  tlie  soul  from  the  body,  whereas  this 
tears  the  health,  the  life,  from  the  soul  itself.  Such  a  per- 
son resembles  ^'  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest, 
whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.''  AYhich  way  so- 
ever he  turns  his  eyes,  the  prospect,  on  all  hands,  is  dark 
and  gloomy.  Above,  is  the  throne  of  an  offended  God  : 
beneath,  is  the  tire  that  shall  never  be  quenched ;  and 
within,  he  feels  the  gnawings  of  the  worm  that  dieth 
not:  so  that  the  creatures  around  him  are  his  only  re- 
source; and  these  at  best  are  "deceitful  brooks; — bro- 
ken cisterns  that  can  hold  no  water;"  "  miserable  com- 
forters," which  delude  him  for  a  moment,  and  forsake 
him  at  the  time  when  he  stands  most  in  need  of  them. 
^^  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked ;"  but 
^night  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the 
upright  in  heart." — "  Great  peace,"  said  one  who  knew 
it  by  experience,  "  great  peace  have  they  that  love  thy 
law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them ;"  even  "  the  peace 
of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep 
their  hearts  and  minds  through  Jesus  Christ." 

My  brethren,  we  shall  never  taste  the  comforts  of  re- 
ligion till  we  become  thoroughly  religious,  and  follow 
the  Lord  with  all  our  heart.  A  half-religion  must  always 
be  a  joyless  thing.  Persons  of  this  mixt  character  must 
in  great  measure  be  strangers  to  pleasure  in  any  kind. 
They  have  just  as  much  religion  as  maketh  sin  bitter, 
and  as  much  sin  as  renders  religion  unpleasant:  and 


§46  SERMON  XVI. 

whatau  insipid,  disagreeable  situation  must  this  be!  la 
respect  of  present  enjoyment,  the  dissolute  and  unre- 
served slave  of  the  devil  have  manifestly  the  advantage 
of  those  half-converted  people.  They  get  a  full  taste,  at 
least,  of  such  dreggy  pleasure  as  sin  can  afford ;  but  the 
others  cannot  even  get  at  that  much,  and  at  the  same 
time  their  dry,  constrained  formality  supplies  them  with 
nothing  to  make  up  for  the  want  of  it.  Whereas  he  who 
followeih  the  Lord  fidly,  possesseth  a  joy  infinitely  su- 
perior to  what  the  creatures  can  yield;  nay,  a  joy  that 
is  altogether  independent  on  the  creatures. 

Moreover,  religion,  when  it  is  genuine  and  cordial, 
lieightens  the  relish  of  every  lawful  comfort.  Besides 
that  natural  sweetness  which  God  hath  put  into  many  of 
the  outward  benefits  he  bestows,  the  true  Christian  can 
look  upon  them  as  the  gifts  of  a  reconciled  Father,  and 
pledges  of  better  things  to  come.  He  can  say  upon  the 
receipt  of  every  mercy, — This  is  mine,  and  heaven 
also :  My  God  hath  sent  me  this  token  of  his  love,  to 
support  and  encourage  me  in  my  journey  homeward; 
I  shall  soon  be  beyond  the  need  of  such  inferior  bless- 
ings, and  possess  the  living  fountain  from  whence  those 
refreshing  streams  do  flow.  On  the  other  hand,  if  his 
present  allowance  be  scanty,  he  can  say, — My  Father 
knoweth  what  is  good  for  me  better  than  I  do  ;  blessed 
be  his  name,  who  in  kindness  withholds  from  me  what 
his  wisdom  foresees  would  prove  a  snare  to  my  soul : 
He  seeks  my  whole  heart,  and  he  is  worthy  to  possess 
it:  It  is  my  business  io  follow  him;  and  the  less  I  am 
incumbered,  the  faster  I  shall  run.  When  I  get  home, 
I  shall  be  comforted  and  satisfied  to  the  full ;  famine  may 
dwell  in  this  wilderness,  but  is  altogether  unknown  in 
that  good  land  to  wliich  I  am  travelling:  "In  my  Fa- 
ther's house  there  is  bread  enough,  and  to  spare."    To 


SERMON  XVI.  247 

a  person  of  this  temper  nothing  cau  come  amiss :  He 
knows  that  his  lot  is  ordered  by  tliat  God  "  who  is  wise 
in  heart,  and  mighty  in  strength;*'  and  who  hath  ex- 
pressly promised,  that  "  all  things  shall  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  liim,  to  them  who  arc  the  called 
according  to  his  purpose."  Distress  falls  with  a  crush- 
ing and  deadly  weight  upon  the  man  who  steps  aside 
from  the  road  of  duty ;  but  he  who  keeps  the  straight 
and  onward  patli,  can  take  adversity  by  the  cold  hand, 
and  welcome  it  as  a  friend,  whose  sober  advice  will* 
guid«  him  in  his  pilgrimage  far  better  than  the  flatter- 
ing lips  of  prosperity.  He  can  say  with  the  prophet  Ha- 
bakkuk,  when  every  earthly  comfort  takes  wing  and  fli- 
eth  away,  ^^  Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  nei- 
ther shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines,  the  labour  of  the  olives 
shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat,  the  flock 
shall  be  cut  oflF  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd 
in  the  stalls;  yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy 
in  the  God  of  my  salvation." — But  there  rae  other  mo- 
tives besides  these  which  ought  to  have  weight,  and 
which  will  have  weight  with  every  ingenuous  heart. 
Let  me  therefore  remind  you,  in  the 

Sd  place,  That  our  Lord  hath  in  some  measure  en- 
trusted us  with  his  glory,  and  called  the  world  to  take 
notice  of  us,  as  the  persons  by  whom  he  expects  to  be 
honoured.  0  how  should  this  fire  us  with  a  generous 
ambition  to  excel  in  holiness,  that  we  may  exhibit  a  just 
representation  of  the  Master  we  serve,  and  show  that  he 
is  in  truth  what  the  Scriptures  report  him  to  be,  '•  alto- 
gether lovely,"  and  is  ^-fairer  than  the  children  of  men!" 
Is  it  not,  my  brethren,  matter  of  grief  to  you,  that  so  ma- 
ny are  to  be  found  who  "  despise  and  reject  the  Sa- 
viour of  mankind  ?"  Would  you  not  wish  that  all  the 
world  should  know  his  excellence,  that  they  might  ad- 


p,iS  SERMON  XVI. 

mire,  and  love,  and  choose  liim  for  their  Master? — If 
you  do,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  for  your  own  sake,  and  for 
the  sake  of  the  many  tliousands  to  whom  he  still  appears 
"  without  form  and  comeliness,"  do  not  withhold  the  aid 
you  can  give :  Him  they  cannot  see,  but  you  are  always 
in  tlieir  eye;  permit  them  to  behold  his  image  in  you. 
Would  you  not  reckon  it  a  high  crime  to  blaspheme  him 
with  your  mouths?  1  know  you  would  :  O  then  do  not 
blaspheme  and  reproach  him  by  your  actions !  Allow 
me  to  ask  you,  When  you  go  with  the  multitude,  and 
live  as  careless  sinners  do,  trifling  away  your  precious 
time  in  the  giddy  round  of  fashionable  amusements ;  how 
would  you  have  the  world  to  judge?  Would  you  have 
them  to  believe,  that  such  behaviour  is  agreeable  to  the 
laws  of  your  Master?  that  he  approves  of,  or  even  that 
he  is  but  slightly  displeased  with  it?  What  would  you 
think  of  a  minister  who  should  preach  in  that  manner, 
and  labour  to  persuade  his  hearers  that  a  careless,  tri- 
iling,  dissipated  life,  is  perfectly  consistent  with  true  pi- 
ety, and  that  any  thing  beyond  it  is  unnecessary  precise- 
uess,  and  being  "righteous  overmuch?*'  Sure  I  am,  you 
would  look  upon  such  a  minister  with  contempt,  nay, 
witli  horror:  and  dare  you  practise  what  we  dare  not 
preacli?  We  may,  we  ought  to  say  every  thing  that  is 
true.  We  dare  not  preach  an  uncommanded  strictness; 
there  is  a  curse  denounced  against  those  who  "add  unto 
the  words  of  this  book,"  as  well  as  against  those  who 
"  take  from  them."  And  if  your  behaviour  differ  widely 
from  what  we  are  bound  to  recommend,  I  again  ask  the 
question,  What  judgment  would  you  have  the  world  to 
form? — They  must  necessarily  condemn  either  us  or 
you;  us  for  requiring  too  much,  or  you  for  performing 
too  little: — They  must  either  conclude  that  we  misre- 
present the  religion  of  Jesus,  or  that  you  are  not  the  dis- 


SERMON  XVI.  219 

ciples  of  Jesus.  Will  any  of  you  be  so  candid  as  to  take 
our  part  against  yourselves,  and  honestly  confess  that 
you  are  wholly  to  blame?  will  you  go  to  your  carnal 
neighbours,  and  tell  them,  that  what  you  do  is  utterly 
inconsistent  with  your  holy  profession ;  that  the  Lord, 
whose  name  you  bear,  acted  in  a  different  manner  him- 
self, and  gave  you  laws  of  a  quite  different  nature  and 
tendency?  I  suspect  you  will  hardly  consent  to  this  pro- 
posal; and  yet  justice  demands  it;  nay,  unless  you  ei- 
ther do  something  of  this  kind,  or  alter  your  course  of 
life,  and  follow  the  Lord  fully,  you  are  criminal  in  the 
highest  degree ;  you  slander  your  Master,  you  bear  false 
witness  against  him,  and  are  chargeable  with  dishones- 
ty, with  perjury,  nay,  with  blasphemy  itself.  And  this 
sugg.'^sts 

A  4f/t  motive,  which  I  beg  you  may  attend  to.  I  am 
now  going  to  plead  with  you  from  love  to  your  neigh- 
bours. This  is  a  principle  you  profess  to  honour;  nay, 
if  I  mistake  not,  the  desire  of  obliging  others,  and  of  ren- 
dering yourselves  agreeable  to  them,  is  your  common 
apology  for  conforming  to  their  manners,  and  avoiding 
the  offensive  singularity  of  following  the  Lord  fully. 
This,  my  brethren,  is  a  false  expression  of  love;  never- 
theless, it  discovers  such  a  regard  to  others,  as  furnishes 
me  with  a  handle  to  take  hold  of  the  true  principle,  and 
to  plead  it  in  support  of  the  duty  I  am  recommending. 
Surely  it  is  no  office  of  love  to  deceive  another  to  his 
l»urt,  or  to  suffer  him  to  continue  in  a  pleasing  mistake, 
which  unavoidably  must,  and  which  may  very  speedily 
end  in  his  ruin;  such  '•  tender  mercies"  would  inded  be 
"  cruelty."  In  the  common  affairs  of  life  this  maxim  is 
universally  acknowledged :  And  is  it  less  cruel  to  de- 
ceive your  neighbour  in  matters  of  infinitely  higher  im. 

portance?  If,  by  the  freedoms  you  take,  others  are  em- 
VOL.  I.  2  c.        " 


2S0  SERMON  XVt 

bolclened  to  sia  against  God,  will  the  pretence  of  good- 
nature or  courtesy  be  sustained  as  a  defence  against  the 
charge  of  blood-guiltiness?  No,  my  brethren.  They  who 
are  thus  misled  by  you  "shall  die  in  their  iniquity;" 
but  "  their  blood,"  at  the  same  time,  "  shall  be  required 
at  your  hands."  "  Wo  unto  the  world  because  of  of- 
fences ;  but,  wo  chiefly  to  him  by  whom  the  offence  cora- 
eth."  Hypocrites  shall  have  the  wo  of  everlasting  pu- 
nishment,  even  the  children  of  God  shall  have  the  wo 
of  sharp  rebuke  and  chastisement.  It  is  dreadful  to  think 
that  the  souls  of  any  should  perish  eternally,  and  we  be 
the  cause  of  it :  surely  "  it  were  better  for  that  man,  that 
a  mill-stone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he 
were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea."  Do  you  then 
love  your  neigbour  in  sincerity  ?  O  teach  him  by  your  ex- 
ample io follow  the  Lordfiillif.  Remember  "  that  he  who 
converteth  a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way,  shall  save 
a  soul  from  death,  and  shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins;" 
and  may  hope  to  be  crowned  with  distinguished  honours 
in  that  day,  "  when  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the 
brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

The  [Jth  and  last  motive  with  which  I  shall  press  this 
important  duty,  is  the  reward  that  awaits  those  who  fol- 
low the  Lord  fully.  They  shall  possess  that  good  land 
of  promise,  whereof  the  earthly  Canaan  was  only  an 
emblem  or  type.  "  To  them  who  by  patient  continuance 
in  well-doing  seek  for  glory,  honour,  and  immortality, 
Christ  shall  render  eternal  life."  Blessed  are  they  that 
do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into 
the  city."  There  shall  they  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  who  shine  with  such  lustre  in  the  sacred  re- 
cords; there  shall  they  see  Moses,  and  Aaron,  and  Ca- 


SERMON  XVI.  S5i 

leb  and  Joshua,  with  all  the  holy  prophets  and  apostles 
of  our  Lord.  Nay,  in  heaven  they  shall  behold,  and  de- 
lightfully converse  with,  "  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the 
new  covenant,"  who,  with  the  price  of  his  own  blood, 
obtained  for  them  a  riglit  to  that  undefiled  inheritance, 
and  sent  forth  his  Spirit  to  prepare  them  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  it.  And  shall  not  the  prospect  of  such  exalted 
felicity  animate  us  in  our  Christian  course,  and  power- 
fully incite  us  to  ^^  be  followers  of  them  who  through 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises?"  Can  we  sup- 
pose that  any  of  the  saints  who  surround  the  the  throne 
of  God,  do  now  repent  of  their  self-denial  and  mortifica- 
tion, or  repine  because  they  were  despised  and  persecu- 
ted while  on  earth  ?  No,  my  friends ;  they  would  not 
part  with  the  feeblest  ray  of  their  present  glory  for  the 
everlasting  possession  of  all  the  honours  and  pleasures 
that  this  earth  can  afford.  What  shall  I  say  more?  I 
have  urged  the  most  weighty  motives  that  occurred  to 
me;  and  could  I  think  of  any  thing  still  more  persua- 
sive, I  should  add  it  with  pleasure.  But  without  the  diJ 
vine  blessing,  no  arguments  will  prevail.  All  therefore 
that  remains  is,  to  turn  my  pleadings  with  you  into  pray- 
ers to  God,  that  he  may  bestow  upon  you  another  splritf 
and  enable  you  by  his  grace  so  to  folloio  him  while  here, 
that  hereafter,  in  the  heavenly  world,  you  ma^y  fully  en- 
joy him,  through  all  the  growing  ages  of  a  happy  eter-r 
nity.  Ameiu 


3D3 


Psalm  xxxix.  12. 


For  I  am  a  stranger  with  thee.,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all 
my  fathers  were. 


Jl  AD  these  words  been  spoken  by  one  of  the  Recha- 
bitcs,  who  were  commanded  by  their  father  Jonadab^ 
"  That  they  sljould  drink  no  wine,  neither  build  liouses, 
nor  sow  seed,  nor  plant  vineyards,  nor  have  any,  but 
that  they  should  dwell  in  tents  all  their  days,"  we 
might  perhaps  have  considered  them  as  pointing  mere- 
ly at  the  peculiarities  of  that  sequestered  tribe,  by  which 
they  were  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  mankind  ;  but 
as  they  are  the  words  of  David,  who  himself  was  a 
king,  one  of  the  lords  of  this  earth,  who  had  every  in- 
ducement to  magnify  his  office,  and  to  make  his  impor- 
tance appear  in  its  utmost  extent,  they  can  lie  under  no 
suspicion  of  partiality ;  and  therefore  challenge  the 
greatest  regard. 

It  must  indeed  be  acknowledged,  that  David  wrote 
this  Psalm  under  the  heavy  pressure  of  affliction ; 
which  may  induce  some  to  think,  that  what  he  saith  in 
ray  text  is  no  other  than  the  natural  language  of  a  dis- 
pirited man,  whose  mind  was  unhinged  and  broken  by 
adversity;  but  if  we  attend  to  what  is  written,  (Chron. 
xxix.  15.)  we  siiall  find  him  using  the  same  language  in 
the  height  of  his  prosperity :  "  We  are  strangers,"  said 
lie,  "  before  thee,  and  sojourners,  as  were  all  our  fa- 
thers ;  our  days  on  earth  are  as  a  shadow,  and  there  is 


SERMON  XVII.  253 

none  abiding."  Never  did  the  Jewish  nation  appear  to 
be  more  at  home  than  at  that  time :  As  for  David,  his 
happiness  was  so  complete,  that,  instead  of  asking  any 
additional  favours,  he  could  hardly  find  \^ords  to  ex- 
press his  gratitude  for  those  he  had  already  received. 
Yet,  amidst  all  his  affluence,  when  he  possessed  every 
outward  comfort  his  heart  could  wish,  still  he  called 
himself  a  stranger  and  a  sojourner  before  God. 

We  must  therefore  consider  the  words  of  my  text,  as 
expressing  the  fixt  and  habitual  sentiments  of  David^s 
heart.  In  his  most  prosperous  condition,  he  did  not  look 
upon  this  earth  as  his  home;  but  extended  his  views  to 
the  heavenly  world,  that  glorious  and  permanent  inheri- 
tance of  the  saints,  wliich  is  "  incorruptible  and  unde- 
filed,  and  which  fadetli  not  away." 

Among  the  various  subjects  of  inquiry  that  might 
readily  occur  to  us  upon  reading  this  passage,  the  two 
following  appear  to  me  the  most  interesting  and  profit- 
able. 

First.  Whence  is  it  that  holy  men  consider  them- 
selves as  strangers  and  sojourners  upon  earth?  And, 

Secondly.  What  manner  of  life  is  most  expressive  of 
this  character,  and  best  suited  to  the  condition  of  stran- 
gers and  sojourners P  To  these,  therefore,  I  sliall  con- 
fine myself  in  the  followins;  discourse. 

I  BEGIN  with  inquiring,  Whence  it  is  that  holy  men. 
while  they  live  upon  earth,  consider  themselves  as  stran- 
gers and  sojourners  with  God  P  And  to  account  for  this^ 
one  might  declaim  at  great  length  upon  the  unsatisfy- 
ing nature,  and  precarious  duration,  of  every  thing  be- 
low the  sun.  I  might  remind  you,  that  as  we  came  but 
lately  into  this  world,  so  we  must  shortly  go  out  of  it, 
and  leave  all  our  possessions  to  be  enjoyed  by  otiiers; 
^vho,  in  their  turn,  likewise  shall  die,  and  part  with 


g5^  SEKMUN  XVII. 

them.  I  might  descond  to  the  various  calamities  that 
embitter  Imman  life,  from  which  none  of  mankind  are 
altogether  exempted ;  and  to  these  I  might  add  the  pe- 
culiar sufferings  of  tlie  righteous,  those  sharp  and  pain- 
ful trials  to  which  tlie  best  of  men  are  most  frequently 
exposed  in  this  state  of  discipline:  But  I  am  unwilling 
to  enlarge  upon  topics  of  this  nature ;  because  I  would 
not  have  it  thought,  that  the  godly  consider  themselves 
as  strangers  and  sojourners^  solely,  or  even  principally, 
for  such  reasons  as  these.  They  renounce  the  world, 
not  because  it  is  unfriendly  to  them,  but  because  it  is 
unsuitable:  they  would  despise  its  smiles  no  less  than 
its  frowns ;  tliey  are  not  violently  thrust  out  of  it,  but 
voluntarily  resign  it,  and  leave  it  to  those  who  have 
nothing  else  for  their  portion.  Accordingly,  you  may 
observe  that  David  styles  himself  not  only  a  stranger 
but  a  sojourner.  Every  man  is  a  stranger,  who  is  not  a 
native  of  the  place  where  he  resides:  but  &  sojourner  is 
/  I  one  who  maketh  only  a  passing  visit  to  a  place,  with  a 
^  I  resolution  to  leave  it  again,  and  to  proceed  on  his  jour- 
ney. Now,  this  last  is  the  distinguishing  character  of 
the  saints.  Wicked  men  must  leave  this  earth,  they 
know  they  must,  and  wish  it  were  otherwise  with  all 
their  heart;  and  as  they  have  no  prospect  of  going  to  a 
better  world,  they  do  all  they  can  to  banish  the  thoughts 
of  their  removal  from  this,  that  they  may  relish  their 
present  enjoyments  with  as  little  alloy  as  possible. 
Whereas  the  godly,  who  are  made  citizens  of  the  hea- 
venly Jerusalem,  can  look  forward  without  dismay  to 
the  time  of  their  departure  from  this  ^'  strange  land, 
knowing,  that  when  the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle 
shall  be  dissolved,  they  have  a  building  of  God,  an 
bouse  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens." 
They  would  not  choose  to  live  here  always :  they  are 


SERMON  XVlf.  255 

strangers  in  affection,  as  well  as  in  condition;  their 
hearts  are  elsewhere;  they  desire,  they  even  long,  to  be 
at  home  with  God. 

The  saints  justly  account  themselves  strangers  upon 
earth,  because  they  are  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  they  are  "  born  from  above,"  and  therefore  can 
find  no  place  of  rest  while  tliey  live  at  a  distance  from 
their  native  country. (Every  thing  tends  naturally  to  theV 
place  of  its  original ;  and  grace,  whieli  came  down  from  / 
heaven,  leads  the  soul  upward  to  heaven  from  whence  it 
came.  *•'  Whatsoever  is  born  of  God,"  saith  the  apostle 
John,  "  overcometh  the  world."  The  dry  and  empty 
husks  of  earthly  enjoyments  cannot  satisfy  the  desires 
of  a  heaven-born  spirit:  upon  these  the  renewed  man 
looks  down  with  a  holy  disdain,  and  then  lifts  his  long- 
ing eyes  to  that  celestial  country,  where  "  is  fulness  of 
joy,  and  pleasures  for  evermore."  There  he  knows  his 
inheritance  lies;  there  dwell  his  kindred,  to  whom  he 
stands  in  the  dearest  and  most  intimate  relation;  "  God  / 
the  Judge  of  all,  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant, an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect."  And  there  also  he  is  to  make 
his  everlasting  abode.  Here  he  sojourns  for  a  while,  till 
he  is  rendered  meet  for  entering  into  "  the  purchased  pos- 
session;" and  when  the  appointed  season  comes,  he 
gladly  removes  to  his  Father's  house,  to  dwell  with  his 
God  for  ever  and  ever. 

Upon  these  accounts,  my  brethren,  the  children  of 
God,  while  they  live  upon  earth,  consider  themselves  as 
sojourners  in  a  strange  land.  Their  sentiments  in  this  |  _ 
matter  are  not  the  effects  of  disappointment  and  vexation, 
but  the  conclusions  of  an  enlightened  and  renewed  mind : 
they  are  willing  to  leave  this  world,  because  they  have  a 
home  to  go  to,  where  their  natures  shall  be  perfected. 


/ 


256  SERMON  XVII. 

and  all  tlieir  desires  satisfied  to  the  full. — Let  us  now 
inquire,  iu  the 

Second  place,  What  manner  of  behaviour  is  most  ex- 
pressive of  this  temper,  and  best  suited  to  the  condition 
of  strangers  and  sojourners P — This  branch  of  the  sub- 
ject opens  a  wide  field  of  practical  instruction,  and  will 
lead  me  to  recommend  to  you  some  of  the  most  important 
and  difficult  duties  of  the  Christian  life. 

ist.  If  we  look  upon  this  earth  as  a  strange  country, 
through  which  we  are  only  passing  to  our  native  home, 
it  ought  certainly  to  be  our  care,  that  we  receive  as  little 
hurt  in  our  pptssage  as  possible.  This  is  a  maxim  of  com- 
mon prudence  that  nobody  will  dispute.  Now  the  great- 
est hurt  the  world  can  do  us,  is  to  make  us  forget  the 
place  of  our  destination,  or  loiter  too  much  by  the  way : 
and  therefore  its  smiles  are  more  to  be  dreaded  than  its 
fiowns.  ^'The  prosperity  of  fools,"  saith  Solomon,  "de- 
stroj'eth  them."  It  is  difficult  to  possess  much,  and  not 
to  overlove  it:  Hence  that  caution  of  the  Psalmist,  "If 
riches  increase,  set  not  your  heart  upon  them."  When 
our  situation  is  so  agreeable,  that  we  find  ourselves  dis- 
posed to  say,  "Soul,  take  thine  ease;"  then  indeed  it 
is  high  time  to  look  warily  around  us;  the  hook  is  not 
so  curiously  baited  for  no  end.  I  do  not  mean  to  dispa- 
rage the  bounty  of  Providence ;  if  it  hath  pleased  God 
to  distinguish  any  of  you  by  riches  or  honours:  or  to 
crown  your  honest  industry  with  uncommon  aflftuence; 
it  is  certainly  your  duly  to  be  thankful  to  that  kind  Be- 
nefactor, who  "  hath  covered  your  table,  and  made  your 
cup  to  run  over."  I  only  mean  to  execute  that  order 
w  hich  was  given  to  Timothy,  "  Charge  them  that  are 
rich  in  this  world,  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor 
trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  the  living  God,  who  giv- 
cth  us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy."  I  would  only  exhort 


SERMON  XVII.  S37 

you  as  Paul  did  the  Corinthians,  "  To  rejoice  as  though 
you  rejoiced  not;  to  buy  as  though  you  possessed  not; 
and  to  use  this  world  so  as  not  to  abuse  it;  because  the 
time  is  short,  and  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 
away."  My  sole  aim  is  to  remind  you,  that  the  more 
you  have,  the  greater  need  tliere  will  be  to  keep  a  strict 
and  jealous  guard  upon  your  hearts,  lest  they  be  de- 
bauched by  those  pleasing  enjoyments,  and  alienated 
from  God,  who  alone  hath  a  right  to  them.  But  it  is  not 
enough  that  we  receive  no  hurt  in  our  journey  through 
this  strange  land;  it  ought  likewise  to  be  our  care,  in  the 
^d  place.  To  make  all  the  provision  we  can  for  that 
better  country  to  which  we  are  travelling.  The  Holy 
Scriptures  speak  of  ^'  a  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light;'' — of  making  to  ourselves  friends  of 
the  mammon  of  unrighteousness;" — of  "providing  bags 
which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens  that  faileth 
not."  In  opposition  to  all  this,  we  read  of  some,  "  who 
make  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof;" 
"  whose  God  is  their  belly,  and  whose  glory  is  in  their 
shame,  who  mind  earthly  things."  1  need  not  inform 
you  which  of  these  two  are  the  strangers  and  sojourn- 
ers. Let  it  be  our  care,  my  brethren,  who  claim  this  cha- 
racter, "  to  grow  in  grace,"  and  to  bring  forth  "those 
fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are,  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto 
the  glory  and  praise  of  God."  Every  advance  in  holi- 
ness is  a  step  that  leadeth  upward  to  the  heavenly  feli- 
city ;  for  what  is  glory  but  grace  in  maturity?  they  differ 
only  in  degree ;  they  are  the  same  in  kind,  and  the  one 
grows  up  and  ripens  into  the  other.  Our  riches  and  hon- 
ours, though  they  should  accompany  us  to  the  last  peri- 
od of  life,  must  leave  us  at  death  :  "  Naked  we  came 
into  the  world,  and  naked  we  must  return ;"  but  holi- 
ness shall  pass  with  us  beyond  the  grave,  and  attend  us 

VOL.  I.  2  H 


•i5ii  SERMON  XVII. 

home  to  our  Father's  house,  there  to  shine  with  increas- 
ing brightness  through  all  the  ages  of  eternity.  Do  we 
then  aspire  to  the  heavenly  state?  let  us  endeavour  to 
enjoy  as  much  of  heaven  as  we  can,  even  while  we  so- 
journ in  this  "house  of  our  pilgrimage.''  Surely  "ev- 
ery man  that  hath  tliis  hope  in  him," — the  hope  of  be- 
ing thoroughly  changed  into  the  "  likeness  of  his  Lord, 
when  he  shall  see  him  as  he  is"  at  his  second  appear- 
ance, must,  by  this  hope,  be  excited  to  purify  "  himself 
even  as  he  is  pure."  Let  us  then  hearken  to  that  affec- 
tionate exhortation  of  the  apostle  Peter,  "  Dearly  be- 
loved, I  beseech  you,  as  strangers  and  'pilgrims,  ab- 
stain from  fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul." 
Let  us  "add  to  our  faith,  virtue;  and  to  our  virtue, 
knowledge;  and  to  knowledge,  temperance;  and  to  tem- 
perance, patience ;  and  to  patience,  godliness ;  and  to 
godliness,  brotherly  kindness;  and  to  brotherly  kind- 
ness, charily.  For  so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered 
unto  us  abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Ciirist." 

3f%.  It  becomes  strangers  and  sojourners  to  endure 
with  patience  and  fortitude  any  hardships  they  may  meet 
with  on  their  journey  homeward.  We  ought,  indeed,  my 
brethren,  to  lay  our  account  with  inconveniences  by  the 
w^ay :  our  Master,  who  "  was  a  man  of  sorrows,"  hath 
told  us  expressly,  that  "  in  the  world  we  shall  have  tri- 
bulation." "  Ye  know,"  said  he,  "  that  the  world  hated 
me,  before  it  hated  you.  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  love  his  own;  but  because  ye  are  not  of 
the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  there- 
fore the  world  hateth  you."  Yet  however  painful  those 
sufferings  may  be,  the  prospect  of  the  joy  that  awaiteth 
us,  is  more  than  suflQcient  to  support  us  under  them;  es- 
pecially when  it  is  considered,  that  the  afflictions  of  this 


SERMON  XVII.  §59 

present  life,  if  wisely  improved,  shall  exalt  us  to  higher 
dignity  in  the  kingdom  of  our  Father.  It  is  recorded  of 
the  primitive  Christians,  that  "  they  took  joyfully  the 
spoiling  of  their  goods,''  because  ''  they  knew  in  them- 
selves, that  they  had  in  heaven  a  belter  and  an  enduring 
substance."  ''  They  were  troubled  on  every  side,  yet 
not  distressed;  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair;  persecu- 
ted, but  not  forsaken ;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed  ;'* 
as  we  read,  2  Cor.  iv.  8,  9.  And  if  any  shall  inquire, 
what  it  was  that  rendered  them  superior  to  these  trials, 
they  may  be  lawfully  informed  by  St.  Paul  himself  in 
the  close  of  that  chapter,  where  he  saith,  ''For  this 
cause  we  faint  not,  but  though  our  outward  man  perish, 
yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.  For  our 
light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for 
us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory ; 
while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  and 
are  temporal,  but  at  those  things  which  are  not  seen, 
and  are  eternal." 

4^thly.  If  we  view  heaven  as  the  place  of  our  everlast- 
ing abode,  we  shall,  above  all  things,  be  solicitous  to  be 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  way  that  leads  to  it.  Da- 
vid prayed  with  the  utmost  propriety,  when  he  thus  ex- 
pressed himself,  (Psalm  cxix.  19.)  "I  am  a  stranger  in 
the  earth,  hide  not  thy  commandments  from  me."  He 
knew  that  "  the  word  of  God  was  a  lamp  to  his  feet 
and  a  light  unto  his  path ;"  he  therefore  "  hid  it  in  his 
heart,"  as  the  most  inestimable  treasure  he  could  pos- 
sess, and  made  it  the  subject  of  his  constant,  delightful 
meditation  :  "  Thy  testimonies,"  said  he,  "  are  my  de- 
light, and  my  counsellors ;"  and  "  thy  statutes  have 
been  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage."  I  do 
not  deny  that  Reason,  even  in  its  present  dark  and  cor- 
rupt state,  may,  in  many  important  instances,  lead  a  so.. 


g60  SERMON  XVII. 

ber  inquirer  to  the  knowledge  of  his  duty;  but,  alas !  in 
a  great  variety  of  cases,  he  would  find  himself  utterly  at 
a  loss,  not  knowing  which  road  to  take ;  for  though  Rea- 
son, unassisted,  may  still  be  able  to  trace  out  the  capital 
lines  of  sin  and  duty,  yet  the  confines  of  each,  the  pre- 
cise boundaries  which  divide  the  lawful  from  the  forbid- 
den ground,  require  a  more  penetrating  eye  to  discern 
them.  But  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  these  are  plainly 
marked  out  to  us  by  the  finger  of  God,  who  cannot  err. 
The  ten  laws  publislied  from  Sinai,  which  were  after- 
wards explained  and  amplified  by  our  Saviour  in  his 
sermon  upon  the  mount,  furnish  us  with  a  complete  and 
unerring  rule  of  life,  and  describe  that  '•  high  way  of  ho- 
liness,''  in  which  we  may  walk  without  fear  or  diffi- 
dence. We  need  not  perplex  ourselves  with  the  doubt- 
ful reasonings  of  our  own  minds;  we  may  find  an  easy 
solution  of  all  our  difficulties  in  that  written  "  law  and 
testimony,"  according  to  which  we  shall  be  finally  judg- 
ed :  for  ^'  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making 
"wise  the  simple :"  "  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true 
and  righteous  altogether."  Such  is  the  guide  which  God 
hath  provided  for  directing  his  pilgrims  in  their  way 
homeward ;  and  if  we  are  possessed  of  the  temper  of  pil- 
grims, "we  shall  esteem  tlie  words  of  God's  mouth  more 
than  our  necessary  food ;"  and  say  concerning  them, 
**  More  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold,  yea,  than  much 
fine  gold  ;  sweeter  also  than  honey,  and  the  honey-comb. 
Moreover  by  them  is  thy  servant  warned;  and  in  keep- 
ing of  them  there  is  great  reward." 

dtJil?/.  If  we  consider  ourselves  as  strangers  and  so- 
journers here  below,  we  ought  certainly  to  behave  like 
those  who  belong  to  a  better  country,  and  to  show  by 
our  conduct,  that  we  have  a  nobler  birth  and  higher 
hopes  than  worldly  men  haye.  God  frequently  compla-iri-^ 


SERMON  XVII.  26 1 

ed  of  his  ancient  people,  that  hy  the  wickedness  of  their 
lives  they  had  caused  "  his  lioly  name  to  be  profaned 
among  the  heathen."  They  who  love  their  country,  will 
be  jealous  of  its  credit  in  foreign  parts,  and  carefully 
avoid  every  thing  that  liath  a  tendency  to  bring  upon  it 
the  least  stain  or  reproach.  Accordingly,  we  are  exhort- 
ed in  Scripture,  to  ^^  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Sa- 
viour in  all  things;"  *'  to  walk  circumspectly,  not  as 
fools,  but  as  wise;"  and  particularly,  *'  to  walk  in  wis- 
dom towards  them  that  are  without."  Indeed,  as  1  former- 
ly observed,  our  first  care  should  be,  that  we  ourselves 
receive  no  hurt;  but  I  must  now  remind  you,  that  some- 
thing more  is  incumbent  upon  us  than  regard  to  our  own 
safety :  We  ought  not  only  to  avoid  or  resist  temptations 
to  sin,  but  also  to  shine  in  all  the  virtues  of  a  holy  life, 
that  by  the  light  of  our  good  works  others  may  be  exci- 
ted to  glorify  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  AVe  have 
two  things  that  should  engage  our  attention ;  first,  our 
own  welfare;  and  next,  the  credit  and  honour  of  that 
religion  we  profess :  And  he  is  too  selfish  to  be  a  good 
Christian,  who  minds  only  the  one,  and  overlooks  the 
other.  Wide,  my  brethren,  is  the  compass  of  our  duty; 
the  spiritual  sojourner  halh  many  parts  to  perform ;  he 
must  not  satisfy  himself  with  a  retired  and  private  vir- 
tue, but  is  bound  by  the  strictest  ties  of  gratitude,  '•  to 
show  forth  the  praises  of  that  God,  who  hath  called  him 
out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."  Every  step 
of  our  conduct  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  not  to  our- 
selves only,  but  to  others  also;  and  therefore  we  ought 
to  move  with  caution  and  accuracy.  It  is  not  enough  that 
we  ^*  cease  to  do  evil ;"  we  must  likewise  "  learn  to  do 
well."  Nor  should  we  even  think  it  enough  to  do  what 
is  simply  good  ;  we  should  aim  at  that  good  which  is 
most  seasonable  and  excellent.  In  fine,  to  live  as  becom- 


263  SERMON  XVII. 

eth  true  pilgrims,  is  to  walk  with  our  rule  coutinually  ia 
our  eye,  and  never  knowingly  to  deviate  from  it,  either 
to  tiie  right  hand  or  to  the  left :  It  is  to  ponder  every 
step  we  take ;  to  weigh  every  undertaking,  with  all  its 
circumstances,  in  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary:  It  is  to 
consider  the  consequences  of  our  behaviour  with  regard 
to  others;  to  have  our  whole  conversation,  our  words, 
and  our  actions,  "  seasoned  with  sali,"  as  the  Apostle 
hath  expressed  it;  that  is,  not  only  innocent  in  them- 
selves, but,  as  much  as  may  be,  edifying  also,  that  they 
may  minister  grace  to  those  who  hear  or  behold  us. 

There  is  an  affected  singularity,  which  is  conceited 
and  disobliging,  and  does  real  dishonour  to  religion, 
representing  it  as  childish,  trifling,  and  capricious;  on 
the  other  hand,  there  is  a  servile  compliance  with  the 
maxims  and  fashions  of  the  world,  which  is  mean  and 
pusillanimous,  and  represents  religion  as  variable,  timid, 
and  irresolute :  Betwixt  these  two  extremes  lies  a  mid- 
dle plan  of  conduct,  which  expresseth  the  true  genius  of 
Christianity,  representing  it  as  generous,  intrepid,  and 
disinterested.  When  we  dare  avow  the  sentiments  of 
our  hearts,  and  obey  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  the 
laws  of  our  God,  in  the  face  of  the  sun  ;  when  our  whole 
behaviour  is  consistent  and  uniform,  and  shows  that  we 
liave  no  other  aim  but  to  promote  the  honour  of  our  hea- 
venly Father,  and  to  obtain  his  approbation;  then  we 
act  up  to  the  dignity  of  our  Ciiristian  character;  then  we 
live  as  strangers  and  sojourners  upon  earth. 

There  is  one  thing  in  particular  I  would  recommend 
to  you  as  peculiarly  suited  to  tlie  condition  of  pilgrims ; 
and  that  is  a  decent  sobriety  of  manners,  a  grave  and 
serious  dei)ortment,  in  opposition  to  what  the  Scriptures 
call  a  "  vain  conversation.-'  I  do  not  mean  that  you 
should  be  sad  and  dejected ;  bkssed  be  God,  the  Chris- 


SER3I0N  XVII.  SSa 

tian  hath  a  more  extensive  fiekl  of  pleasure  before  him 
than  Fancy  itself  can  represent  to  the  sensual  mintl.  The 
seriousness  to  which  I  am  pressing  you  is  not  opposed 
to  joy,  but  to  levity :  I  call  you  to  delights  that  are  pure, 
sincere,  and  inward,  in  opposition  to  '^  the  laughter  of 
the  fool,  and  that  delusive  mirth  that  ends  in  heaviness." 
I  would  only  have  you  to  show,  that  you  find  a  present 
reward  in  the  service  of  God,  and  that  the  joys  of  reli- 
gion are  of  too  sublime  a  quality  to  mix  and  incorporate 
with  the  dead  and  polluted  pleasures  of  sense :  I  would 
have  you  to  behave  with  that  spirit  which  becomes  your 
high  birth  ;  like  persons  who  know  that  God  is  their  fa- 
ther,  that  Ciirist  is  their  elder  brother,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  their  comforter  and  guide.  In  short,  I  would  have 
you  to  act  like  citizens  of  heaven,  who  are  only  passing 
through  this  earth,  and  have  little  more  concern  in  it 
than  to  escape  its  pollutions,  by  keeping  the  strait  and 
narrow  road  that  leads  to  the  promised  land  of  rest. 
Why  should  you  borrow,  nay,  why  should  you  seem  to 
borrow,  water  from  the  *^  broken"  and  dirty  '^  cisterns" 
of  the  sensualist,  who  have  access  to  "  the  fountain  of 
living  waters?"  Is  it  not  your  duty,  is  it  not  your  hon- 
our, to  show  the  world,  that  no  part  of  your  happiness 
depends  upon  such  low  gratifications?  that  you  find 
enough  in  God  to  quench  your  thirst,  and  to  satisfy  the 
most  unbounded  desires  of  your  soul  ?  This,  my  bre- 
thren, is  the  way,  the  only  way,  to  awaken  the  attention 
of  secure,  besotted  sinners.  Let  them  see  what  true  god- 
liness can  do  by  itself;  and  this  may  beget  in  them  a 
conviction  of  its  worth  and  excellence.  But  how  shall 
they  discover  that  religion  hatli  any  peculiar  virtue  to 
strengthen  and  comfort  the  soul,  so  long  as  they  can  ob- 
serve those  who  profess  it  walking  in  the  same  road,  and 
frequenting  the  same  haunts  of  vanity  with  themselves? 


S6*  SERMON  XVII. 

There  is  a  majesty  in  strict  and  serious  godliness,  that 
commands  esteem  and  reverence  even  from  the  worst  of 
men  :  But  when  religion  assumes  the  habit  and  complex- 
ion of  the  world,  when  it  is  blended  with  the  fashiona- 
ble follies  of  the  age,  it  usually  makes  such  a  clumsy 
figure,  such  a  motley  appearance,  that  it  becomes  more 
ridiculous  and  contemptible  than  pure,  unmixed  folly  it. 
self.  "  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be 
ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  be  a  father  unto  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty/*'  Ouce  more,  in  the 

dth  place.  If  indeed  we  have  turned  our  back  upon 
this  world,  and  are  travelling  to  a  better  country,  let  us 
lielp  one  another  by  the  way,  and  carry  as  many  home 
with  us  as  we  can.  Do  we  meet  with  any  who  are  feeble 
and  dejected?  let  us  do  every  thing  in  our  power  to 
strengthen  and  encourage  them.  Are  any  doubtful  and 
liesitating  about  the  right  path?  let  us  give  them  our  best 
advice,  and,  according  to  our  ability,  sliow  them  the  way 
wherein  tliey  ought  to  go.  Are  any  discouraged  by  the 
opposition  they  meet  with,  or  the  dangers  they  fear?  let 
us  take  the  road  before  them,  and  animate  them  to  follow 
our  example.  Do  we  see  any  stopping  short,  or  even 
looking  aside  to  some  alluring  objects,  that  have  a  ten- 
dency to  withdraw  their  hearts  from  God  ?  let  us,  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness,  reprove  and  admonish  them.  Above 
all,  let  us  beware  of  falling  out  with  our  fellow-travel- 
lers ;  for  tliat  must  necessarily  mar  the  progress  of  both : 
if  they  and  we  are  going  to  the  same  place,  let  that  suf- 
fice to  unite  us  in  affection ;  and  let  it  be  agreed,  that  we 
may  differ  in  lesser  things. 

But  many,  alas !  take  the  opposite  road,  and  walk  in 
•'  the  broad  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction."  How  shall 


SERMON  XVII.  265 

we  behave  with  respect  to  these?  Let  us  remember,  my 
friends,  that  they  are  still  our  brethren ;  and  that  the  time 
was  when  we  ourselves  were  '' foolish  and  disobedient,'^ 
even  as  they  are.  Should  we  meet  with  one  of  our  coun- 
trymen in  a  foreign  land,  living  in  a  poor  and  abject  con- 
dition, and  at  the  same  time  knew  that  he  was  heir  to  a 
plentiful  estate  at  home,  would  we  not  endeavour  to 
make  him  sensible  of  his  folly?  would  we  not  use  every 
argument  to  persuade  him  to  return  with  us? — Why, 
this  is  the  very  case.  We  see  immortal  creatures  forget- 
ting themselves,  and  the  great  things  they  may  possess 
in  the  heavenly  world,  pleased  and  deluded  with  the  ve- 
riest trifles,  with  lying  vanities  that  perish  in  the  using. 
They  are  really  our  brethren;  and  there  is  enough  iu 
our  Father's  house  both  for  them  and  us.  Indeed,  if  the 
provision  were  scanty,  we  might  have  some  colour  of  ex- 
cuse for  leaving  them  behind  us;  but  the  heavenly  in- 
heritance is  sufficient  for  us  all;  nay,  the  number  of  co- 
heirs, instead  of  diminishing,  increaseth  the  happiness 
of  each  individual. 

We  had  all  wandered  into  ^'  a  far  country,'*  when 
our  compassionate  Father  sent  his  beloved  Son  to  invite 
us  home.  And  if  any  of  us  have  got  our  minds  enlight- 
ened; if  by  grace  we  have  been  awakened  from  our  fa- 
tal lethargy,  and  determined  to  comply  with  the  kind  in- 
vitation; shall  we  not  do  what  in  us  lies  to  awaken  those 
who  are  still  asleep?  shall  we  not  tell  them  the  good 
news,  and  press  them  to  go  with  us?  Oh !  it  is  terrible 
to  think  of  an  everlasting  separation.  Place  yourselves 
before  the  judgment-seat,  and  think  how  affecting  that 
awful  moment  shall  be,  when  the  Judge  shall  pronounce 
the  final  doom,  and  send  aw^ay  from  his  presence  some 
of  those  with  whom  we  once  were  acquainted,  perhaps 
intimately  connected,  nay,  whom  we  dearly  loved :  send 

VOL.  I.  2  I 


^66  SERMON  XYII. 

them,  I  say,  from  liis  presence,  to  the  other  side  of  that 
impassable  gulf,  from  whence  tlicy  shall  never  return! 
How  that  final  parting  shall  then  be  felt  by  us,  I  know 
not ;  but  surely  the  distant  prospect  of  it  is  dreadful  in  the 
mean  time.  O  then  let  us  do  what  we  can  to  prevent  it  I 
Let  us  imitate  that  good  Shepherd  "  who  came  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost  :'^  He  "  gave  his  life 
for  the  sheep ;"  and  shall  any  who  have  tasted  the 
sweetness  of  his  mercy,  think  it  much  to  follow,  with 
their  warmest  intreaties,  those  unhappy  wanderers  who, 
as  they  themselves  once  did,  have  left  the  good  pasture, 
and  continue  to  stray  in  the  barren  wilderness,  where, 
without  speedy  relief,  they  must  irrevocably  perish? 
God  forhid.  Let  us  have  pity  upon  those  who  have  not 
yet  learnt  to  pity  themselves  j  and  to  the  most  vigorous 
efforts  we  can  use  for  their  recovery,  let  us  add  our  fer- 
vent prayers  to  God,  that  he  may  send  forth  his  Spirit, 
to  bring  them  into  the  way  of  peace  and  safety,  and  then 
to  keep  and  guide  them  in  that  way,  till  he  lead  them  at 
length  into  "  i\\^  land  of  uprightness." 

Thus  have  I  endeavoured  to  show,  in  a  variety  of 
instances,  what  manner  of  life  is  most  expressive  of  the 
temper,  and  best  suited  to  the  condition  of  strangers  and 
sojourners.  May  God  accompany  what  hath  been  said 
with  his  effectual  blessing,  and  enable  us  all  so  to  be- 
have in  tliis  ^'  house  of  our  pilgrimage,''  that  when  we 
shall  have  done  with  earthly  things,  we  may  be  received 
into  those  "  everlasting  habitations,  whither  Christ  hath 
gone  to  prepare  a  place  for  us.*'  To  whom,  with  the  Fa- 
ther, and  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  one  living  and  true  God, 
be  ascribed,  as  is  most  due,  all  blessing,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  powei',  both  now  and  evermore.  Amen, 


§67 


Preached  on  the  day  of  National  Thanksgiving,  Nov.  29,  1759. 

Joshua  xxiii.  11. 

Take  good  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  love 
the  Loud  your  God. 


X  HESE  are  the  words  of  a  soldier  and  a  saint;  a  sol- 
dief,  equally  brave  and  successful;  a  saint,  distinguish- 
ed by  the  testimony  of  God  himself.  They  are  the  words 
of  Joshua,  the  victorious  leader  of  God's  ancient  people, 
and  make  a  part  of  that  solemn  valedictory  speech  which 
he  pronounced  in  a  national  assembly  of  his  countrymea 
a  little  before  his  death. 

The  same  happy  union  of  fortitude  and  piety  which 
had  rendered  his  active  life  so  glorious,  still  shone  forth 
with  undiminished  strength  to  adorn  the  concluding 
scene.  Never  did  the  magnanimity  of  the  soldier,  never 
did  the  piety  of  the  saint,  never  did  the  generous  zeal 
of  the  patriot,  appear  with  more  becoming  grace  and 
dignity,  than  when  this  great  and  good  man  rose  up  ia 
the  presence  of  all  his  brethren,  and  thus  addressed  the 
tribes  of  Israel : 

"  I  am  old  and  stricken  in  age;  and  ye  have  seen  all 
that  the  Lord  your  God  hath  done  unto  all  these  nations 
because  of  you ;  for  the  Lord  your  God  is  he  that  hath 
fought  for  you.  Behold,  I  have  divided  unto  you  by  lot 
these  nations  that  remain,  to  be  an  inheritance  for  your 
tribes^  from  Jordan^  with  all  the  nations  that  I  have  cut 


g68  SERMON  XVIII. 

off,  even  unto  the  great  sea  westward.  And  the  Lord 
your  God,  he  shall  expel  them  from  hefore  you,  and 
drive  them  from  out  of  your  sight,  and  ye  shall  possess 
their  laud,  as  the  Lord  your  God  hath  promised  unto 
you.  Be  ye  therefore  very  courageous,  to  keep  and  do 
all  that  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses,  that 
ye  turn  not  aside  therefrom,  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the 
left ;  that  ye  come  not  among  these  nations,  these  that 
remain  amongst  you,  neither  make  mention  of  the  name 
of  their  gods,  nor  cause  to  swear  by  them,  neither  serve 
them,  nor  bow  yourselves  unto  them ;  but  cleave  unto 
the  Lord  your  God  as  ye  have  done  unto  this  day.  For 
the  Lor<i  hath  driven  out  from  before  you  great  nations 
and  sirong;  but  as  fur  you,  no  man  hath  been  able  to 
stand  before  you  unto  this  day.  One  man  of  you  shall 
chase  a  thousand ;  for  the  Lord  your  God,  he  it  is  that 
Sghteth  for  you,  as  he  hath  promised  you.  Take  good 
lieed  therpfore  unto  yourselves^  that  ye  love  the  Lord 
your  God.^^ 

*'How  forcible  are  right  words  !"  Well  did  Solomon 
say,  that  "  the  tongue  of  the  wise  is  iiealth,"  and  '•'  a 
word  fitly  spoken,  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  sil- 
ver." An  address  more  worthy  of  the  speaker,  or  better 
adapted  to  those  who  heard  it,  cannot  be  devised,  than 
that  which  these  verses  present  to  our  view.  The  Jews 
were  at  this  time  in  full  possession  of  the  promised 
land ;  every  man  dwelt  safely  under  his  vine,  and  un- 
der his  fig-tree;  neither  was  there  any  to  make  (hem 
afraid ;  for  '^  the  Lord  had  given  them  rest  from  all  their 
enemies  round  about."  By  a  train  of  the  most  astonish- 
ing victories,  they  had  totally  subdued  the  nations  of 
Canaan,  whose  country  they  divided  by  lot  among 
themselves.  Sucii  a  valuable  conquest,  equally  complete 
find  glorious,  afforded  matter  of  joy  and   triumph  to 


SERMON  XVIIl.  J869 

ihem  all;  but  chiefly  to  Joshua,  who  (conducted  their 
arras,  and  to  whose  wisdom  and  valour,  as  the  means 
under  God,  they  were  visibly  indebted  for  all  their  suc- 
cess. 

Here  then  was  a  theatre  on  which  ambition  and  vain 
glory  might  have  acted  their  parts  to  great  advantage; 
nay,  they  might  have  done  it  almost  without  fear  of  de- 
tection or  reproof.  No  claim  of  merit  would  have  been 
thought  excessive,  no  applause  too  high,  no  reward  too 
great,  for  sucli  an  illustrious  hero  as  Joshua  ;  and  had 
his  speech  been  artfully  framed  to  exalt  himself,  the  ef- 
fect of  it  would  probably  have  been  similar  to  that  of 
Herod's  oration,  w  hen  ''  the  people  gave  a  shout,  say- 
ing. It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man." 

But  Joshua  possessed  "another  spirit."  Long  had 
he  been  dead  to  pride  and  self-interest.  He  sought  not 
his  own  praise,  but  the  honour  of  his  God,  and  the  pros- 
perity of  his  brethren.  He  reminds  them,  indeed,  that 
lie  had  often  led  them  to  victory  and  triumph;  but,  with 
the  same  breath,  he  reminds  them  also,  that  "  it  vvas 
the  Lord  their  God  that  fought  for  them."  They  got  not 
the  land  by  their  own  sword,  neither  did  their  own  bow 
save  them,  but  ti)e  right  hand  and  arm  of  Almighty  Je- 
hovah." To  him  therefore  the  sole  tribute  of  praise  was 
due:  this  was  the  important  truth  which  Joshua  chiefly 
recommended  to  the  attention  of  his  hearers.  And  now 
knowing  that  the  time  of  his  departure  was  at  hand,  as 
the  last  and  strongest  proof  of  his  affection  and  care, 
with  the  authority  of  a  governor  he  commands,  with  the 
bowels  of  a  father  he  intreats,  and,  with  all  the  serious- 
ness of  a  dying  saint,  he  obtests  them  to  love  the  Lord 
their  God. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  the  charge  which  the  best  of 
kings,  our  truly  magnauimous  and  most  gracious  sove- 


370  SERMON  XVIII. 

reign,  doth  Ibis  day  address  to  us.  He  hath  called  us 
together  by  his  royal  proclamation,  to  return  public 
thanks  to  Almighty  Grod,  for  the  variety  of  great  and 
public  blessings  whicii  have  enriched  and  distinguished 
this  memorable  year.  The  preceding  year  wa.s  indeed 
glorious ;  but  of  this  it  may  be  said  M^ith  a  peculiar  em- 
phasis, tliat  it  excels  in  glory.  Even  to  the  present  day, 
the  series  of  victory  remains  unbroken :  no  defeat  hath 
stained  our  national  honour,  nor  any  public  disaster  in- 
terrupted our  joy.  Hitherto  our  sunshine  hath  been 
clear  and  unclouded.  Amidst  the  tumults  and  horrors 
of  surrounding  war,  blessed  with  uncommon  plenty  at 
home,  we  enjoy  all  the  comforts  of  domestic  peace ; 
w  hilst  every  quarter  of  the  world  hath  beheld  our  tri- 
umphs, and  on  every  element,  by  sea  and  by  land,  suc- 
cess hath  crowned  tlje  British  arms.  Success  I  say,  of 
the  best  and  most  valuable  kind ;  for  the  fruits  of  our  vic- 
tories are  not  the  romantic  and  airy  additions  of  military 
fame,  but  advantages  of  a  substantial  and  more  endur- 
ing nature ; — the  increase  of  our  naval  strength,  which 
experience  hath  shown  to  be  the  surest  means  of  our  de- 
fence ;  the  enlargement  of  our  commerce,  the  great  source 
of  oar  wealth  ;  the  protection  of  our  king's  electoral  do- 
minions, unjustly  invaded  on  our  account;  and  the  secu- 
rity of  our  colonies  from  the  inroads  and  devastations  of 
merciless  savages,  rendered  still  more  savage  by  the  in- 
stigation and  example  of  perfidious  Frenchmen.  These 
arc  laurels  which  wither  not;  acquisitions  of  real  and 
permanent  worth,  which,  with  humble  boldness,  we  may 
publish  to  the  world,  and  even  avow  to  our  own  hearts, 
as  becoming  grounds  of  thanksgiving  to  that  God,  ^'who 
is  righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all  his  works; 
who  exccuteth  judgment  for  the  oppressed,  but  the  way 
of  the  wicked  he  turneth  upside  down." 


SERMON  XYIIi.  271 

This  Kiug  of  heaven,  "  who  abaseth  those  who  walk 
in  pride;  all  whose  works  are  truth,  and  his  ways  judg- 
ment;" we  praise,  extol,  and  honour  this  day,  as  the 
author  of  these  signal  and  unmerited  blessings.  "  Not 
unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us ;"  not  unto  the  wisdom  of 
our  counsellors,  not  unto  the  valour  of  our  troops,  though 
both  have  equalled  our  wishes,  and  even  exceeded  our 
hopes ;  yet,  not  unto  these,  but  '^  unto  the  name  of  God," 
is  all  "  the  glory"  due.  He  it  was  who  taught  our  sena- 
tors wisdom ;  He  it  was  who  girded  our  soldiers  with 
strength ;  it  was  the  Lord  who  fought  for  us  in  every 
successful  enterprise;  who,  in  Germamj  SLud  Canada, 
revealed  his  mighty  arm  on  our  side  ;  who  hath  thus 
far  prospered  our  righteous  cause,  and  made  us  to  tri- 
umph over  them  that  hate  us. 

Justly  may  we  say  with  the  church  of  old,  ^^  O  sing 
unto  the  Lord  a  new  song,  for  he  hath  done  marvellous 
things ;  his  right  hand,  and  his  holy  arm,  hath  gotten 
him  the  victory.  The  Lord  hath  made  known  his  salva- 
tion, his  righteousness  hath  he  openly  shewed  in  the 
sight  of  the  heathen :  he  hath  remembered  mercy  to- 
wards" Britain  ;  "  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  have  seen 
the  salvation  of  our  God." 

But,  my  brethren,  thanksgiving  and  praise  are  only  a 
part  of  the  tribute  we  owe.  Joshua  made  a  farther  de- 
mand upon  his  countrymen.  And  as  our  situation,  in 
some  of  its  most  important  circumstances,  is  apparently 
similar  to  theirs ;  the  same  charge  that  was  given  to 
them,  with  the  utmost  propriety  may  be  addressed  to  us : 

Take  good  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  love 
the  Lord  your  God.  For, 

In  the  jirs^  place.  It  is  for  this  very  end  that  national 
mercies  are  bestowed.  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,"  is  the  first 


273  SERMON  XVIII. 

and  great  comraaiulment  in  the  law;  ami  Providence  en- 
forceth  what  the  law  demands.  God  speaks  to  us  by  his 
works  as  well  as  by  his  word;  both  are  his  messengers; 
and  it  often  happens,  that  the  signs  of  the  one  are  as 
expressive  and  intelligible  as  the  language  of  the  otlier. 
Hence  a  voice  is  ascribed  to  the  rod  by  the  prophet  Mi- 
cah,  (Micah  vi.  9.)  "  The  Lord's  voice  crieth  unto  the 
city,  and  the  man  of  wisdom  shall  see  thy  name;  Hear 
YE  THE  ROD,  and  vi'ho  hath  appointed  it."  Judgment  is 
that  stern  messenger  which  speaks  to  us  out  of  the  whirl- 
wind, saying,  "  Why  should  ye  be  stricken  any  more? 
Will  ye  revolt  still  more  and  more?"  But  mercy  hath 
a  softer  voice;  in  mildest  accents  it  courts  our  return; 
and,  with  persuasive  eloquence,  disarms  our  enmity, 
bends  the  stubborn  will,  and  captivates  the  heart. 
"When  our  wickedness  corrects  us,  and  our  backslid- 
ings  reprove  us,"  then  it  is  expected  that  we  should 
"  know  and  see  what  an  evil  and  bitter  tiling  it  is  to  sin 
against  God."  After  tliis  manner  do  his  judgments  teach 
men  righteousness.  But  his  mercies  have  a  higher  office; 
to  them  it  belongs  to  teach  men  love;  they  represent  God 
as  truly  amiable,  as  the  most  worthy  object  of  our  su- 
preme affection.  Signal  and  unmerited  favours,  especial- 
ly when  conferred  upon  those  who  are  not  only  unwor- 
thy of  them,  but  who  deserve  the  contrary,  are  justly 
compared  to  **  coals  of  fire,"  which  melt  down  every 
thing  but  dross.  Even  the  malice  of  Saul  was  so  far 
overcome  by  the  generosity  of  David,  that  ^'  he  lifted  up 
his  voice  and  wept,  and  said  unto  David,  Thou  art  more 
righteous  than  T;  for  thou  hast  rewarded  me  good,  where- 
as I  have  rewarded  thee  evil."  Now  of  this  kind  are  all 
God's  favours  towards  us.  And  shall  favours  of  such  a 
nature  be  heaped  upon  us  in  vain?  Surely,  when  he 
whom  we  had  offended;  most  basely  offended,  is  not 


SERMON  XVIII.  273 

only  merciful,  but  bounteous  also ;  when  he  not  only 
spares  us,  but  even  loads  us  with  benefits ;  our  hearts 
must  be  impenetrable,  and  void  of  all  feeling,  if  they 
are  not  subdued  to  the  love,  as  well  as  to  the  admira- 
tion, of  such  amazing  generosity.  We  have  been  prais- 
ing  God  for  his  goodness;  but  praise  without  love  can 
never  ascend  to  his  throne  with  acceptance.  Let  us  there- 
fore take  good  heed  unto  ourselves,  that  we  love  the  Lord 
our  God;  and  the  rather  because, 

In  tlie  second  place,  We  are  in  danger  of  perverting 
his  goodness  to  a  very  different  purpose.  The  caution 
given  in  the  text  plainly  implies  this ;  and  the  subse- 
quent history  of  the  Jewish  nation  as  plainly  proves  that 
the  caution  was  necessary. 

We  read  in  the  book  of  Judges,  that,  after  the  death 
of  Joshua,  "there  arose  anothei-  generation,  which  knew 
not  the  Lord,  and  they  forsook  the  God  of  their  fathers, 
which  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  served 
other  gods."  This  monstrous  ingratitude  Moses  had 
suspected,  and  left  many  warnings  on  record  to  guard 
them  against  it.  "  It  shall  be,"  said  he  in  one  place, 
"  when  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  have  brought  thee  into 
the  land  which  he  sware  unto  thy  fathers,  to  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to  give  thee  great  and  goodly  cities 
which  thou  buildedst  not,  and  houses  full  of  all  good 
things  which  thou  filledst  not,  and  wells  which  thou 
diggedst  not,  and  vineyards  and  olive-trees  which  thou 
planted st  not;  when  thou  shalt  have  eaten  and  are  full, 
then  beware  that  thou  forget  not  the  Lord  thy  God, 
which  brought  thee  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  and 
from  the  house  of  bondage."  And  in  another  place,  af- 
ter recounting  many  temporal  blessings  which  God  liad 
promised   to  bestow  upon  them,   he   thus  concludes: 

*^  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  that  your  heart  be  not  de- 
TOL.  I.  2k* 


1374 


SERMON  XVIII. 


ceived,  ami  ye  tarn  aside,  and  serve  other  gods,  and 
worsliip  them."  ^'  But  Jeshurun  waxed  fat  and  kicked, 
and  lightly  esteemed  the  rock  of  his  salvation."  Israel, 
that  was  humble  in  the  wilderness,  tame  and  tractable 
in  those  lean  pastures,  grew  proud  and  wanton  in  fruit- 
ful Canaan.  When  ^'  they  sucked  honey  out  of  the 
rock,"  as  the  prophet  expresses  it,  ^'  and  did  eat  the  fat 
of  lambs,  and  kidneys  of  wheat,  then  said  they,  We 
are  lords,  we  will  come  no  more  unto  thee." 

That  prosperity  should  have  another  and  very  differ- 
ent effect  upon  us,  I  have  already  endeavoured  to  show, 
and,  blessed  be  God,  examples  of  a  w  ise  and  laudable 
improvement  of  prosperity  are  not  altogether  wanting. 
It  is  recorded  to  the  lionour  of  the  good  king  Jehosha- 
phat,  (2  Chron.  xvii.  5,  6.)  who  had  silver  and  gold  in 
abundance,  that  "  his  heart  was  lifted  up  in  the  way  of 
God's  commandments."  If  we  read  the  beginning  of 
the  18th  Psalm,  in  connexion  with  the  title  prefixed  to 
it,  we  shall  discover  another  amiable  instance  of  the 
most  exact  obedience  to  the  command  in  my  text.  The 
title  runs  in  these  words :  A  Psalm  of  David,  the  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord,  icho  spake  unto  the  Lord  the  words 
of  this  song,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  delivered  him  from 
the  hand  of  all  his  enemies,  and  from  the  hand  of  Saul; 
and  he  said,  (verse  1.)  "I  will  love  thee,  0  Lord,  my 
strength."  But  few,  alas!  comparatively  speaking, 
walk  in  the  steps  of  these  holy  men.  Even  a  pious  He- 
zekiab  "  rendered  not  again  according  to  the  benefits 
done  unto  him,  but  bis  heart  was  lifted  up:"  for  which 
cause  "  there  came  wrath  upon  himself,  and  upon  Ju- 
dah,  and  upon  Jerusalem." 

Great  indeed  is  our  national  felicity;  but  equally 
great  is  our  danger  of  abusing  it.  Scarcely  had  the  Is- 
raelites escaped  from  the  house  of  bondage,  when  those 


SERMON  XVIII.  S75 

very  spoils  they  bad  recovered  from  tlieir  task-masters 
were  formed  into  an  idol,  which  they  basely  worship- 
ped in  place  of  that  God,  whose  outstretched  arm  bad 
wroui^ht  their  deliverance.  And  is  it  not  possiide,  ray 
brethren,  that  the  fruits  of  that  success  with  which  God 
bath  been  pleased  to  favour  us,  may,  by  a  like  abuse,  be 
perverted  into  weapons  of  rebellion  against  himself? 
Luxury  is  the  common  attendant  upon  affluence  :  This 
unfits  the  mind  lor  serious  thinking,  and  breeds  a  cold- 
ness and  indifference  towards  spiritual  things  ;  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  a  secret  disaffection  to  those  laws 
which  would  rrsirain  him,  soon  takes  root  in  the  heart 
of  the  sensualist,  till,  wearied  with  the  struggle  betwixt 
reason  and  appetite,  he  at  length  sets  himself  in  oppo- 
sition to  God  and  his  ways;  reproaches,  with  the  names 
of  ostentation  or  hyjjocrisij,  all  serious  religion  and  god- 
liness in  others ;  turns  away  his  eyes  from  the  light  that 
reproves  him,  and  even  doth  what  he  can  to  extinguish 
it  altogether.  Thus  doth  ^'  the  prosperity  of  fools  de- 
stroy them  :'' — "  When  men  see  no  changes,  they  fear 
not  God."  What  reason  then  have  we  to  join  trembling 
with  our  mirth,  and  to  take  good  heed  unto  ourselves, 
lest  our  table  become  e.  snare  to  us,  and  the  uncommon 
blessings  we  have  received,  instead  of  heightening  our 
love,  should  cause  us  to  forget  the  hand  that  bestowed 
them,  and  prove  the  means  of  alienating  our  hearts  from 
God !  To  prevent  this,  let  me  beg  your  attention  to  what 
I  have  further  to  offer,  in  the 

Third  and  last  place.  That  to  love  the  Lord  our  God, 
is  not  only  the  return  he  expects  for  his  benefits,  but  the 
return  he  demands.  It  is  not  only  just  and  reasonable  in 
its  own  nature,  but  it  is  likewise  absolutely  necessary 
on  our  part;  nay,  it  is  the  one  thing  needful;  the  with- 
holding of  which  shall  unavoidably  be  attended  with  tlie 
most  fatal  consequences. 


gyfl  SERMON  XVIII. 

This  expresses  the  true  spirit  of  the  charge,  and  was 
certainly  the  important  truth  that  Joshua  meant  to  con- 
vey to  his  hearers.  His  great  aim  was  to  remind  them, 
in  the  first  place,  that  all  the  past  successes  were  en- 
tirely owing  to  the  favour  of  the  Most  High  ;  and,  next, 
to  persuade  them,  that  upon  the  continuance  of  his  Al- 
mighty protection,  their  future  prosperity  would  solely 
depend.  He  exhorts  them  indeed,  (verse  6)  to  he  "very 
courageous."  But  for  what  end?  Was  it  only  to  fight 
against  men  ?  No;  it  was  also  that,  in  opposition  to  all 
dangers  and  difficulties  of  what  kind  soever,  they  might 
steadfastly  obey  the  Lord  their  God.  "  Be  ye  therefore 
very  courageous  to  keep  and  to  do  all  that  is  written  in 
ihe  book  of  the  law  of  Moses,  that  ye  turn  not  aside 
therefrom,  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left."  And  then, 
says  he,  (verse  10.)  "  One  man  of  you  shall  chase  a 
thousand,  for  the  Lord  your  God  is  he  that  fighteth  for 
you."  But  he  adds,  in  the  verses  following  my  text,  "  If 
ye  go  back,  aud  transgress  the  covenant  of  the  Lord 
your  God,  know  for  a  certainty,  that  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  kindled  against  you,  and  ye  shall  quickly 
perish  from  off  the  good  land  which  he  hath  given  you." 
Accordingly,  we  are  told,  in  the  second  chapter  of  the 
Look  of  Judges,  that  when  the  succeeding  generation 
forsook  the  Lord,  and  served  other  gods,  "  then  the  an- 
ger of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  Israel,  and  he  delivered 
them  into  the  hands  of  spoilers  that  spoiled  them,  and 
lie  sold  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies  round 
about;  so  that  they  could  not  any  longer  stand  before 
their  enemies,  and  they  were  sore  distressed."  Now  all 
these  things  happened  to  them  for  eusamples;  and  they 
arc  written  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of 
the  world  are  come.  God  is  always  the  same;  he  is  "in 
one  mind,  and  none  can  turn  him."  His  love  to  righte- 


SERMON  XVIII.  S77 

ousness,  his  hatred  of  sin,  are  both  unchaDgeable;  and 
therefore  the  truth  of  that  assertion  must  be  equally 
unchangeable,  that  "  righteousness  exalteth  a  nation  ;^' 
whereas  "  sin  is  the  reproach,"  and,  if  obstinately  per- 
sisted in,  must  prove  the  ruin  "  of  any  people." — "  For 
wickedness  burueth  as  the  fire,  it  shall  devour  the  bri- 
ers and  thorns,  apd  kindle  in  the  thickets  of  the  forests, 
and  they  shall  mount  up  as  the  lifting  up  of  smoke; 
through  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  land  dark- 
ened, and  the  people  shall  be  as  the  fuel  of  the  fire.*' 
Isa.  ix.  18. 

Ought  we  not  then  to  take  good  heed  unto  ourselves^  that 
we  love  the  Lord  our  God?  Joshua  gave  this  advice  to 
the  Jews  a  long  time  after  the  Lord  had  given  them  rest 
from  all  their  enemies  round  about.  We,  my  brethren, 
are  still  engaged  in  war,  the  issue  of  which  is  always 
doubtful.  We  have  drawn  the  sword,  and  thus  far  have 
employed  it  with  glory  and  success;  but  it  was  a  pru- 
dent caution  which  Ahab  gave  to  Benhadad,  *•  Let  not 
liira  that  girdeth  on  the  harness  boast  himself  as  he  that 
taketh  it  off."  Our  enemies  are  Aveakeued,  but  they  are  • 
likewise  greatly  irritated ;  and  still  they  are  a  strong 
and  formidable  people.  We  can  look  back  upon  a  time 
when  our  own  situation  was  very  unpromising;  when 
every  alarm  brought  a  panic  along  with  it,  till,  roused  by 
insult  and  a  sense  of  danger,  the  national  spirit  at  length 
awoke ;  vigorous  measures  were  pursued ;  and,  by  the 
good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us,  have  wonderfully  pros- 
pered. It  is  a  thing  impossible,  it  is  even  improbable, 
that  similar  causes  may  produce  similar  effects  in  the 
councils  and  measures  of  the  nation  with  whom  we  con- 
tend? 

Were  they  in  reality  weaker  than  we  are  willing  to 
suppose,  it  would  ill  become  us  to  deny  a  truth,  of  which 


^78  SERMON  XVni. 

we  ourselves  have  so  lately  had  the  happy  experience, 
to  wit,  "  That  the  battle  is  not  always  to  the  strong." 
Both  at  Minden  and  Quebec,  every  advantage  for  vic- 
tory is  now  certainly  known  to  have  been  on  the  side  of 
our  enemies.  The  fate  of  nations  is  not  determined  by 
the  policy  of  men ;  the  events  of  war  are  conducted  and 
overruled  by  a  higher  hand  than  the  arm  of  flesh.  Hear 
what  God  said  to  the  Jews  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah : 
"  Though  ye  had  smitten  the  whole  army  of  the  Chal- 
deans that  fight  against  you,  and  there  remained  but 
wounded  men  among  them,  yet  should  they  rise  up  ev- 
ery man  in  his  tent,  and  burn  this  city  with  fire."  "  With- 
out me,"  says  he  by  another  prophet,  "  they  shall  bow 
down  under  the  prisoners,  and  they  shall  fall  under  the 
slain." 

Blessed  be  God,  we  have  large  and  manifold  grounds 
of  thanksgiving;  but  the  very  grounds  of  our  thanksgiv- 
ing are  likewise  monitors  of  humility,  and  press  the  ne- 
cessity of  securing  the  friendship  of  that  Almighty  Be- 
ing, who  "  doth  according  to  his  will  in  the  armies  of 
heaven,  and  amongst  the  inhabitants  of  this  earth."  Pride 
and  security  are  fatal  presages  of  approaching  ruin. 
^'  Before  destruction  the  heart  of  man  is  haughty."  How 
awful  was  the  doom  pronounced  against  Tyre!  (Ezek. 
xxviii.  2.  et  seq.)  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Because 
thine  heart  is  lifted  up,  and  thou  hast  said,  I  am  a  god, 
I  sit  in  the  seat  of  God,  in  the  midst  of  the  seas;  yet 
thou  art  a  man,  and  not  God,  though  thou  hast  set  thine 
heart  as  the  heart  of  God :  behold,  thou  art  wiser  than 
Daniel ;  there  is  no  secret  that  they  can  hide  from  tliee : 
with  thy  wisdom,  and  with  thine  understanding,  thou 
hast  gotten  thee  riches,  aud  hast  gotten  gold  and  silver 
into  thy  treasures :  by  thy  great  wisdom,  and  by  thy  traf- 
fic, hast  thou  increased  thy  riches,  and  thine  heart  is 


SERMON  XVlIi.  379 

lifted  up  because  of  thy  riches.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Because  thou  hast  set  tliine  heart  as  the  heart 
of  God ;  behold,  therefore,  I  will  bring  strangers  upon 
thee,  the  terrible  of  the  nations :  and  they  shall  draw 
their  swords  against  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  they 
shall  defile  thy  brightness.  They  shall  bring  thee  down 
to  the  pit,  and  thou  shalt  die  the  deaths  of  them  that  are 
slain  in  the  midst  of  the  seas." 

Let  us  learn  wisdom  from  their  folly.  Let  tlieir  pun- 
ishment admonish  us  to  beware  of  that  pride  which  God 
abhorreth :  Let  the  manifold  goodness  we  profess  to  ce- 
lebrate this  day,  lead  us  to  "  that  repentance  which  is 
never  to  be  repented  of;" — and  let  us  fervently  pray. 
That  the  Holy  Spirit  may  be  given  unto  us,  to  shed 
abroad  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts,"  as  an  effectual 
principle  of  all  holy  obedience.  Then  we  may  hope,  that 
the  Lord  of  Hosts  will  go  forth  with  our  arms,  and  lead 
them  on  to  new  and  still  greater  triumphs;  till  at  length 
the  desolations  of  w  ar  shall  be  happily  terminated  by  a 
safe,  an  honourable,  and  lasting  peace.  Which  may  God 
of  his  infinite  mercy  grant^  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  Jimen. 


S80 


Preached  in  January  1773,  when,  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh, 
distress  and  dissipation  were  in  the  extreme. 

EZEKIEL  ix.  4. 

And  the  Loud  said  unto  Mm,  Go  through  the  midst  of 
the  city,  through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a 
mark  iqmn  the  foreheads  of  the  men  that  sigh,  and 
that  cry,  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done  in  the 
midst  thereof. 


A  HE  apostle  Paul  having  recited  to  the  Christians  at 
Corinth  some  of  those  awful  judgments  which  God  had 
inflicted  upon  his  ancient  church  for  their  rebellion  and 
obstinacy,  subjoins  tliese  memorable  words,  (Cor.  x. 
11.)  "  Now  all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for 
ensamples;  {or  types,  as  the  word  is  rendered  in  the 
margin)  and  they  are  written  for  onr  admonition,  upon 
whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come.''  The  Bible, 
though  it  records  the  actions  of  men,  yet,  properly 
speaking,  is  the  history  of  God,  and  contains  an  ac- 
count of  his  proceedings  with  his  creatures  in  a  great 
A'ariety  of  instances ;  that  from  those  acts  of  government, 
compared  with  wliat  he  positively  declares  concerning 
himself,  we  may  be  enabled  to  form  the  clearest  and 
justest  conceptions  of  his  nature  and  will;  and  may 
learn,  with  undoubted  certainty,  what  we  have  either 
to  fear  or  to  hope  from  him. 

God  is  always  the  same ;  "  with  him  there  is  no  va- 
riableness;, neither  shadow  of  turning :''  and  therefore, 


SERMON  XIX.  261 

in  his  past  procedure,  we  see  the  plan  of  his  present 
and  future  administration;  which  brings  the  passage  I 
have  been  reading  home  to  ourselves,  and  interests  us 
deeply  in  the  matter  it  contains. 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  the  propliet  had  got  a  full 
view  of  the  abominations  that  were  done  in  the  midst 
of  Jerusalem ;  and  here  he  gets  a  visionary  representa- 
tion of  their  punishment.  He  beholds  six  men  a[)pr()ach- 
insrthe  citv,  each  of  them  armed  with  a  destro*.  ins:  wea- 
pon,  who  are  expressly  commanded  io  day  the  inhabi- 
tants, both  old  and  young,  beginning  at  the  sanctuary. 
But  before  they  proceed  to  execution,  one,  distinguished. 
by  his  garb,  being  clothed  with  linen,  and  having  a  wri- 
ter's inkhorn  by  his  side,  receives  the  gracious  commis- 
sion recorded  in  my  text,  to  separate  the  precious  from 
the  vile,  by  setting  a  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  that 
they  might  not  be  involved  in  the  ruin  of  their  fellow- 
citizens. 

Whether  any  sentence  of  wrath  hath  already  gone 
forth  against  these  sinful  lands  to  which  we  belong;, 
must  be  to  us  an  impenetrable  secret:  "  The  heart  of  a 
king  is  unsearchable,"  said  Solomon  ;  much  more  is  the 
heart  of  the  King  of  kings.  But  surely  it  can  never  be 
unseasonable  to  lead  your  attention  to  a  passage  of 
Scripture,  where  God's  mercy  to  the  penitent,  and  his 
peculiar  concern  for  their  safety,  are  set  before  us  in  so 
just  and  striking  a  light. 

Godly  sorrow  for  abounding  iniquity  is  at  all  times  a 
dutiful  and  becoming  exercise  ;  nevertheless  there  are 
certain  seasons  when  the  call  to  it  may  be  considered 
as  more  loud  and  pressing.  Some  of  these  I  shall  men- 
tion in  i\m  first  place. 

Secondly.  I  shall  inquire,  with  as  much  tenderness 

as  regard  to  truth  will  permit,  how  the  case  stands  with 
VOL.  r.  2  L 


^g  SERMON  XIX. 

lespecfc  to  the  time  and  place  in  which  ouv  lot  is  cast: 
and  if  it  shall  appear  that  ill-bodinj^  symptoms  of  ap- 
proaching danger  are  to  be  found  among  us  in  a  very 
high  degree,  1  shall  endeavour,  in  the 

Third  place,  To  lay  before  you  a  few  of  the  genuine 
symptoms  and  proper  effects  of  the  gracious  temper  I 
mean  to  recommend  ; — and  then  conckide  the  subject 
with  some  practical  improvement. 

First.  If  it  shall  be  asked.  When,  or  upon  what  oc- 
casions, the  exercise  of  godly  sorrow  for  sin  is  in  a  pe- 
culiar manner  seasonable?  I  answer, 

When  transgressors  are  very  numerous;  when  the 
body  of  a  people  is  corrupted,  so  that,  in  the  language 
of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the 
whole  heart  is  faint:"  then  all  who  fear  God  are  loudly 
called  upon  to  sigh  and  to  cry  for  the  abominations  that 
are  done  in  the  midst  of  (he  land.  If  one  Achan  trou- 
bled the  whole  camp  of  Israel,  what  must  a  multitude 
of  sinners  do?  If  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  were  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful  when  their  Master  told  them  that 
there  was  one  traitor  in  their  company,  how  afflicting 
must  it  be  to  a  true  lover  of  God.  lo  behold  the  wicked 
so  multiplied,  that,  in  comparison  of  them,  the  godly 
are  only  a  small  remnant,  a  very  ''little  flock,"  that  can 
scarcely  be  discerned. 

The  call  becomes  still  more  pressing,  when  trans- 
gressors are  not  only  numerous,  but  likewise  bold  and 
impudent ;  sinning,  as  Absalom  did,  '"  before  all  Israel, 
and  in  the  sight  of  the  sun."  This  is  a  fatal  presage  of 
approaching  vengeance;  for  God  will  not  always  tole- 
rate such  insolent  contempt  of  his  authority.  Judgment 
may  be  suspended,  while  vice  skulks  in  darkness,  as 
ashamed  of  the  light;  but  when  it  appears  in  broad  day, 
when  sinners  proclaim  their  sins  as  Sodora^  and  hide 


SERMON  XIX,  283 

them  not,  then  they  may  be  said  "  to  strengthen  them- 
selves against  the  Almighty,  and  to  run  upon  the  thick 
bosses  of  his  bucklers."  And  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  such  insolent  defiance  can  long  escape  without 
some  open  and  awful  rebuke.  At  such  a  time,  then, 
mourning  must  be  peculiarly  seasonable. 

Especially  when  sinners  are  not  only  numerous  and 
impudent,  but  likewise  guilty  of  tliose  grosser  abomina- 
tions which  in  former  ages  have  been  followed  with  the 
most  tremendous  judgments.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that 
^'  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all 
unrighteousness  and  ungodliness  of  men;"  nevertheless 
there  are  some  particular  instrinces  of  un2;odliness  and 
unrighteousness,  which  God  hath  marked  out,  and  dis- 
tinguished from  others,  as  the  objects  of  his  greatest  ab- 
horrence j  and  with  respect  to  which  he  hath  said  more 
explicitly,  both  in  his  word  and  by  his  providence,  that 
he  will  not  suffer  them  to  pass  unpunished.  I  cannot 
pretend  to  give  you  a  minute  detail  of  these;  only,  if 
you  read  the  Scriptures,  you  will  find,  that  profane 
swearing,  perjury,  contempt  of  the  Sabbath,  theft,  mur- 
der, and  adultery,  are  all  of  this  kind.  The  prophet 
Zechariah  beheld  a  tlyitig  roll  of  curses,  twenty  cubits 
in  length,  and  ten  in  breadth,  which  had  a  commission 
to  enter  into  the  house  of  the  thief,  and  into  the  house 
of  him  that  sweareth  falsely  by  the  name  of  God,  there 
to  remain  till  it  had  utterly  consumed  it,  with  the  tim- 
ber thereof,  and  the  stones  thereof.  ''  By  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  killing."  saith  the  prophet  Hosea,  ^'  by  steal- 
ing and  committing  adultery,  they  break  out,  and  blood 
toucheth  blood.  Therefore  siiall  the  land  mourn,  and 
every  one  that  dwelleth  therein  shall  languish,  with  the 
beasts  of  the  field,  and  with  the  fowls  of  heaven ;  yea, 
the  fishes  of  the  sea  also  shall  be  taken  away."  xVnd 


g84!  SERMON  XIX. 

how  liiglily  God  resents  the  profanation  of  his  Sabbatli, 
appears  from  the  re[)roof  and  expostulation  of  good  Nc- 
hemiah,  which  is  recorded,  (Nehem.  xiii.  17, 18.)  *''Then 
1  contended  wiih  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said  unto 
them,  What  evil  thing  is  this  t!)at  ye  do,  and  profane 
the  Sabl)ath-day?  Did  not  your  fathers  thus,  and  did  not 
God  bring  all  this  evil  upon  us,  and  upon  this  city?  yet 
ye  bring  more  wrath  upon  Israel  by  profaning  tlte  Sab- 
bath." When  therefore  the  same  sins  are  frequent  and 
open  among  any  people,  tliat  must  surely  be  a  season 
for  grief  and  lamentation.  And  still  more, 

When  the  persons  that  commit  them  are  resolute  and 
incorrigible.  *'  He  that  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth 
Lis  neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  without 
remedy.'' — '^  Because  I  iiave  purged  thee,"  saith  God 
by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  "^  and  thou  wast  not  purged, 
thou  shalt  not  be  purged  from  thy  filthiness  any  more, 
till  I  have  caused  my  fur}^  to  rest  upon  thee.  1  the  Lord 
Lath  spoken  it,  it  shall  come  to  pass,  and  1  will  do  it; 
I  will  not  go  back,  neither  will  1  spare,  neither  will  I 
repent;  according  to  thy  ways,  and  according  to  thy  do- 
ings, shall  they  judge  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God."  When 
the  wicked  are  forewarned  of  tiieir  sin  and  danger;  when, 
by  the  preaching  of  the  word,  their  duty  is  plainly  and 
faithfully  set  before  them;  when  they  are  exhorted  by 
others,  and  rebuked  by  their  own  consciences;  when 
they  are  smitten  with  such  rods  as  bear  the  most  legible 
signature  of  their  crimes ;  or  when,  in  a  milder  way,  they 
are  admonished  and  warned  by  the  punishments  inflicted 
upon  others  for  the  same  crimes ;  when,  after  all  or  any 
of  these  means  employed  to  reclaim  them,  they  still  hold 
fast  their  iniquities,  and  will  not  let  them  go;  then  should 
the  godly  lament  and  mourn,  and  pray  with  redoubled 


SERMON  XIX.  285 

earnestiipss  for  those  miserable  creatures,  who  have  nei- 
ther the  ingenuity  nor  the  wisdom  to  pray  for  themselves. 

Uow  far  these  causes  of  grief  and  lamentation  are  to 
be  found  among  us,  I  might  leave  to  the  determination  of 
those  whose  hearts  are  '•  wise  to  discern  l)oth  time  and 
judgment:"  but  1  should  reckon  myself  unfaithful  to 
God,  and  injurious  to  the  souls  of  men,  if  I  did  not  hint 
a  few  obvious  remarks  relative  to  the  time  and  place  ia 
which  our  lot  is  cast;  which  was  the 

Second  thing  proposed  in  the  method. 

I  shall  not  compare  our  condition  to  that  of  Sodom, 
when  ten  righteous  persons  were  not  to  be  found  in  it; 
neither  shall  1  compare  it  to  the  state  of  the  Jews,  when 
God  said  to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  ''  Run  ye  to  and  fro 
in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  see  now,  and  know,  and 
seek  in  the  broad  places  thereof,  if  ye  can  find  a  man, 
if  there  be  any  that  executeth  judgment,  and  seeketh  the 
truth;  and  I  will  pardon  it."  Blessed  be  God  this  is  not 
precisely  the  case  with  us.  There  is  not  only  some,  but, 
I  trust,  a  gnodly  number  throughout  the  land,  who  sin- 
cerely love  God,  and  seek  his  glory  :  but  this  I  dare  ven- 
ture to  affirm,  that  they  are  few,  very  few,  when  com- 
pared with  the  wicked;  and,  which  is  still  more  afflict- 
ing, their  numbers  are  daily  decreasing,  while  the  oppo- 
site interest  prevails,  and  visibly  gains  ground  among 
all  ranks  and  conditions  of  men. 

It  is  too  apparent  to  be  denied,  that  the  vices  I  men- 
tioned under  the  former  head,  intemperance,  h^wdness, 
the  most  insolent  abuse  of  the  Christian  Sabbath,  lying, 
cursing,  and  even  perjury  itself,  are  more  or  less  prac- 
tised in  every  corner  of  the  land. — These,  and  nr.'ny 
other  enormities,  are  so  frequent  and  undis2;uise(l.  tiiat 
no  man  who  comes  abroad  into  the  world  can  preterjd  to 
be  ignorant  that  such  abominations  are  done  in  the  midst 


ggg  SERMON  XIX. 

of  us.  I  am  far  from  supposing,  that  any  of  them  were 
altogeiher  unknown  in  former  times;  though  1  am  verily 
persuaded,  that  all  of  them  are  now  become  more  uni- 
versal, and  that  some  of  them  are  carried  to  a  much 
greater  height  than  ever  they  were  in  the  days  of  oup 
fathers.  However,  as  they  cannot  be  strictly  accounted 
the  jjpculiar  reproach  of  the  present  age,  1  shall  remind 
you  of  some  other  instances  of  departure  from  God, 
which,  with  greater  and  more  evident  propriety,  may 
be  determined  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
times  in  wliich  we  live. 

I  begin  with  Infidelity,  which  of  late  hath  spread  it- 
self through  all  orders  of  men,  the  lowest  not  excepted. 
This  article  of  charge  needs  no  proof;  for  besides  the 
multitude  of  professed  infidels,  who  grasp  at  the  charac- 
ter as  a  title  of  honour,  and  even  struggle  beyond  the 
bounds  of  moderation  to  obtain  it;  besitles  these,  I  say, 
the  growing  disregard  of  the  ordinances  of  religion,  the 
total  neglect  and  disuse  of  them  by  some,  and  the  hypo- 
critical abuse,  and  formal,  ineffectual  attendance  upon 
theui  by  others,  are  fatal  proofs  of  the  prevalence  of  in- 
fidelity; and  plainly  show,  that  the  generality,  even  of 
those  who  retain  the  Christian  name,  do  either  in  their 
heart  reject  the  gospel  as  false,  or,  which  comes  to  the 
same  purpose,  reckon  it  a  matter  of  small  importance 
whether  the  gospel  be  true  or  not. 

Again,  is  there  not  a  visible  contempt  of  the  authority 
of  God?  If  his  laws  contradict  the  humours  of  men,  they 
refuse  to  be  controlled  by  them;  and  say  by  their  prac- 
tice, ^»  Who  is  the  Lord  that  we  should  obey  him?"  "As 
for  the  word  which  (hou  hast  spoken  to  us  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee,  but  we  will 
certainly  do  whatsoever  gocth  forth  out  of  our  own 
mouth."  This  is  so  notorious,  that  by  many  it  is  reputed 


SERMON  XIX.  g87 

a  maxim  of  prudence,  to  give  way  to  the  prevailing  iiu- 
mours  of  the  times.  Some  sins,  say  they,  have  got  such 
countenance,  that  it  is  dangerous  to  reprove  them: 
they  must  be  winked  at;  for  were  they  to  be  roughly 
handled,  they  would  either  grow  more  headstrong  and 
violent,  or  only  be  exchanged  for  other  excesses,  which 
might  be  fully  as  bad,  or  perhaps  worse,  than  them- 
selves. And  though  it  betrays  a  disloyal,  or  at  least  a 
cowardly  spirit,  to  be  swayed  by  such  crooked  maxims; 
yet  the  currency  they  have  got  affords  a  pregnant  proof, 
that  contempt  of  divine  authority  is  another  unhappy 
characteristic  which  distinguisheth  the  present  from  for- 
mer times. 

Further,  we  seem,  in  a  great  measure,  to  have  lost 
any  proper  sense  of  our  dejjendance  upon  God,  "  When 
his  hand  is  lifted  up,  we  do  not  see."  We  forget  him  iu 
prosperity ;  and  in  adversity  we  look  no  higher  than  the 
creature.  We  trust  for  deliverance  to  the  arm  of  flesh, 
but  never  think  of  turning  to  the  Lord  who  smiteth  us. 
Nay,  have  there  not  been  repeated  attempts  to  prove, 
that  a  nation  may  prosper,  not  only  independent  of  God, 
but  even,  as  it  were,  in  defiance  of  him?  that  the  public 
interest  is  promoted  by  the  vices  of  individuals?  that 
utility  is  the  measure  of  virtue,  the  only  standard  for 
determining  what  is  right  or  wrong?  I  do  not  mention 
those  schemes  from  any  apprehension  that  the  arguments 
by  which  they  are  supported  are  formidable  in  them- 
selves;  but  whether  men  believe  the  principles  or  not, 
it  is  a  certain  truth,  that  the  general  practice  doth  un- 
happily correspond  with  them.  One  thing  is  obvious, 
that  few  consider  a  reformation  of  manners  as  any  means 
of  national  prosperity;  whereas,  had  we  a  just  impres- 
sion of  our  dependancc  upon  God,  that  would  readily 
occur  to  us,  not  only  as  one,  but  as  the  best,  nay,  the 


288  SERMON  XIX. 

only  effectual  means,  for  securing  the  safety,  and  ad-^ 
vaucing  the  real  honour  and  interest  of  our  country. 

To  all  these  I  nmst  add  the  Luxury  and  Sensuality 
which  liave  been  growing  upon  us  for  several  years  past, 
and  have  now  spread  their  roots  and  branches  so  wide, 
that  they  may  truly  be  said  to  fill  the  whole  land.  Plea- 
sure is  at  length  become  a  laborious  study ;  and  with 
many,  1  am  afraid,  it  is  their  only  study;  for  it  leaves 
them  no  room  to  pursue  any  other.  What  new  scenes 
of  amusement  are  daily  invented  ?  How  artfully  are  they 
ranged,  so  as  to  stand  clear  of  each  other,  without  leav- 
ing any  vacant  space  between  them?  It  is  trifling  to 
plead,  that  they  are  not  criminal  in  their  own  nature, 
and  may  therefore  be  consistent  with  the  service  of  God : 
I  must  call  this  a  mean,  disingenuous  evasion,  till  they 
who  plead  it  shall  be  pleased  to  inform  us,  what  por- 
tions of  time  are  left  unoccupied,  wherein  they  can  find 
leisure  to  serve  God  if  they  would.  The  truth  is,  the 
present  system  of  pleasure  and  fashionable  politeness, 
appears  absolutely  incompatible  with  piety  and  devo- 
tion; an  artful  contrivance  to  banish  reflection  altogether, 
and  to  put  it  out  of  the  power  of  sinful,  dying  creatures 
to  think  of  God  and  an  eternal  world. 

This  unliappy  distemper  of  the  times  in  which  we 
live,  doth  at  present  carry  in  its  face  some  of  the  most 
alarming  symptoms  of  danger.  Instead  of  yielding  to 
the  most  probable  means  of  cure,  it  rather  becomes  more 
stubborn  and  infectious.  Might  it  not  have  been  expect- 
ed, that  the  distress  which  liatli  prevailed  in  our  nation 
for  some  months  past,  would  at  least  have  checked  the 
growth  of  luxury?  yet  it  seems  to  have  produced  the 
very  opposite  effect.  While  the  poor  are  starving,  while 
many  who  are  willing  to  labour  can  find  no  employment, 
and  not  a  few  have  abandoned  their  native  country  to 


SERMON  XIX.  260 

seek  that  sustenance  in  foreign  parts  which  they  could 
not  earn  at  home  ;  still  is  pleasure  pursued  with  increas- 
ing ardour,  and  no  price  is  deemed  extravagant  that  can 
purchase  an  addition  to  it.  In  short,  men  appear  to  be 
striving  against  God  with  their  eyes  open,  and  to  have 
studied  the  design  of  his  Providence  on  purpose  to  de- 
feat it;  for  such  an  exact  plan  of  contradiction  discovers 
art  and  contrivance,  and  could  hardly  have  been  stum- 
bled upon  by  mere  accident. 

Judge  then,  upon  the  whole,  whether  there  be  not 
cause  more  than  sufficient  to  sigh  and  to  cry  for  the  abom- 
inations that  are  done  in  the  midst  of  our  land.  It  still 
remains,  in  the 

Third  place,  That  I  lay  before  you  a  few  of  the  ge- 
nuine symptoms  and  proper  effects  of  the  gracious  tem- 
per I  mean  to  recommend.  And, 

ist.  We  can  never  be  assured,  that  our  grief  for  the 
sins  of  others  is  pure,  and  of  the  right  kind,  unless  our 
hearts  be  duly  affected  with  grief  and  sorrow  for  our 
own  transgressions.  It  is  this  that  distinguisheth  the 
true  mourners  in  Zion  from  censorious  and  ill-natured 
hypocrites,  who  are  quick  in  discerning  the  smallest 
mote  in  their  brother's  eye,  while  they  pay  no  attention 
at  all  to  the  great  beam  in  their  own.  Godly  sorrow  is 
just  and  impartial ;  it  always  begins  at  home,  and  makes 
few  visits  abroad  till  domestic  sins  are  first  bewailed. 
Many,  like  the  lapwing,  are  continually  fluttering  about, 
and,  with  artful  screams,  lament  the  vices  of  all  around 
them,  merely  to  draw  off  their  attention  from  their  own 
cage  of  unclean  birds.  Such  pretended  mourners  are 
hateful  to  God ;  and  every  counterfeit  tear  becomes  a 
drop  of  oil,  which  shall  only  serve  to  inflame  the  ever- 
lasting burnings :  whereas  the  true  mourner  is  more  se- 
vere against  himself  than  against  any  other  person  in 

VOL.  r.  2  M 


ago  SERMON  XIX. 

the  world,  the  vilest  not  excepted  ;  yea,  he  never  seefe 
nor  Iiears  of  the  wickedness  of  others,  but  conscience 
immediately  stirs  within  him,  and  he  is  ready  to  say 
v\?ith  Pharaoh's  butler,  "  I  remember  my  own  fault  this 
day."  He  considers  the  worst  of  men  as  exhibiting  a 
true  picture  of  his  own  natural  condition;  and  humbly 
acknowledgeth,  that  it  was  God  only  who  made  him 
to  differ,  and  that  he  hath  nothing  but  what  he  received 
from  his  bountiful  hand. 

^dly.  Our  grief  is  of  the  right  kind,  when  it  leads  us 
to  pray  for  transgressors;  and  when  it  hath  not  this  ef- 
fect, we  have  not  only  cause  to  suspect,  but  may  con- 
clude, without  hesitation,  that  it  is  spurious  and  coun- 
terfeit. If,  instead  of  the  closet,  it  carry  us  abroad  into 
company,  to  divulge  our  neighbour's  faults,  under  the 
pretext  of  bewailing  them ;  in  that  case  we  may  assure 
ourselves,  that  our  hearts  are  strangers  to  that  godly  sor- 
row whereof  my  text  speaks.  The  true  mourner  de- 
sires, above  all  things,  the  reformation  of  his  brother;, 
and  therefore  he  goes  directly  to  God  himself,  who  hath 
the  hearts  of  all  inen  in  his  hand,  and  can  turn  them  a% 
the  rivers  of  water.  He  lays  the  sinner's  case  before  the 
compassionate  Saviour,  not  by  way  of  complaint,  but  to 
move  his  pity,  and  to  obtain  his  help.  He  uncovers  the 
poor  leper  in  the  sight  of  the  Physician  who  can  heal 
him ;  and  at  the  same  time  would  be  extremely  well 
pleased,  that  his  loathsomeness  were  hid  from  every 
other  eye.  True  grief  will  restrain  us  from  speaking 
evil  of  our  neighbour,  or  detecting  his  secret  faults,  ex- 
cept in  cases  of  absolute  necessity,  when  the  concealing 
them  would  either  be  hurtful  to  the  innocent,  or  prejudi- 
cial to  the  public  interest.  Nay,  it  will  be  painful  to  us 
to  hear  of  the  miscarriages  of  our  brethren ;  and  we  shall 
be  very  slow  to  believe  any  reports  to  their  disadvan- 


SERMON  XIX.  291 

tage,  without  the  strongest  and  most  convincing  evi- 
dence; and  after  all,  we  shall  neither  despise  nor  hate 
them,  far  less  expose  them  to  the  contempt  and  hatred 
of  others ;  on  the  contrary,  we  shall  pity  them,  and  pray 
for  them  in  secret,  commending  their  case  to  the  God  of 
love,  before  whom  all  their  sins  are  already  naked  and 
open,  and  earnestly  implore  his  pardoning  mercy  and 
sanctifying  grace  in  their  behalf,  with  the  same  fervour 
and  importunity  that  we  ask  these  inestimable  blessings 
for  ourselves. 

Sdly.  Our  grief  for  the  sins  of  others,  if  pure  and  ge- 
nuine, will  be  accompanied  with  proper  endeavours  to 
reclaim  them.  Every  true  mourner  will  consider  himself 
as  "  his  brother's  keeper,"  and  will  leave  no  means  un- 
attempted  to  prevent  his  ruin.  He  will  not  think  it 
enough  to  plead  with  God  for  mercy  to  the  sinner;  he 
will  likewise  plead  with  the  sinner  to  have  mercy  upon 
himself.  He  will  set  his  guilt  and  danger  before  him  iu 
the  most  prudent  and  affecting  manner  he  can ;  and 
though  he  meet  with  many  repulses,  nay,  though  his 
labour  of  love  should  be  requited  with  scorn  and  hatred, 
yet  he  will  repeat  his  application  again  and  again,  and 
take  hold  of  every  favourable  opportunity  that  presents 
itself;  remembering,  that  **  he  who  converteth  a  sinner 
from  the  error  of  his  way,  shall  save  a  soul  from  death;, 
and  hide  a  multitude  of  sins,"  and  may  look  for  more 
distinguished  honour  in  that  day,  "  when  they  that  be 
wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament;  and 
they  that  turn  many  unto  righteousness  as  the  stars  for 
ever  and  ever."  Once  more, 

"iithly.  If  we  are  in  truth  possessed  of  this  gracious 
temper,  if  our  grief  for  abounding  iniquity  flows  from 
the  pure  fountain  of  love  to  God,  r.nd  zeal  for  his  glory, 
we  shall  own  his  cause  in  the  most  perilous  times,  and 


4i9«5  SERMON  XIX. 

reckon  iiotliing  too  dear  to  be  hazarded  in  his  service. 
That  saying  of  our  Lord  will  be  continually  sounding 
in  our  ears,  "  He  that  is  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words, 
in  this  adulterous  and  perverse  generation,  of  him  also 
shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  ia 
the  glory  of  his  Father  with  all  the  holy  angels."  Ma- 
ny can  weep  in  secret  for  the  sins  of  others,  who  have 
not  the  fortitude  to  appear  agninst  them  in  public.  But 
such  persons  would  do  well  to  consider,  that  neither 
their  tears  nor  their  prayers  can  avail  them  any  thing, 
so  long  as  they  fold  their  hands  like  the  sluggard,  and 
neglect  the  proper  means  for  obtaining  what  they  ask. 
God  permits,  nay  commandoth  us,  to  cast  our  care  upon 
him;  but  he  giveth  us  no  allowance  to  dispose  of  our 
work  in  that  way.  We  must  be  doing  in  a  humble  de- 
pendance  upon  his  grace;  and  then  we  may  both  ask 
and  hope  to  obtain  his  blessing  upon  our  endeavours. 
But  if  we  pray,  and  sit  still ;  if  we  lie  howling  upon  our 
beds,  when  wo.  should  be  abroad  at  our  labour,  we  of- 
fend God  instead  of  pleasing  him ;  and  can  look  for  no 
other  answer  but  this,  *"  Who  hath  required  these  things 
at  your  hand?"  This,  my  brethren,  is  very  necessary  to 
be  attended  to.  There  is  hardly  any  man  who  maintains 
the  profession  of  religion,  who  will  not  readily  acknow- 
ledge, that  we  stand  in  great  need  of  a  reformation;  yet 
where  is  the  man  to  be  found  who  seems  heartily  dis- 
posed to  contribute  his  assistance?  When  God  is  call- 
ing, "  Who  will  stand  up  for  me  against  the  evil  doers? 
Who  will  rise  up  for  me  against  the  workers  of  iniqui- 
ty?" instead  of  replying,  with  the  prophet  Isaiah,  ^'  Lord, 
liere  am  I,  send  me,"  we  are  rather  inclined  to  say,  each 
one  for  himself,  Lord,  such  another  person  is  fitter  for  the 
w'ork,  send  him;  but  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  I  shall 
he.  accounted  a  zealot,  saith  one,  if  I  engage  in  this  ser- 


SERMON  XIX.  gt)3 

vice:  I  shall  oifernl  my  friends,  saitli  another:  A  third 
pleads  Ihe  doubtfulness  of  the  event:  A  fourth  liath  some 
worldly  2;ain  or  preferment  in  view,  and  therefore  it  is 
too  early  to  appear  for  God  as  yet;  but  he  resolves,  that 
after  he  hath  got  his  aim  in  the  service  of  the  devil,  then 
he  will  turn  about,  declare  himself  to  be  on  the  Lord's 
side,  and  confess  him  openly,  when  it  can  no  longer  hurt 
his  secular  interest.  These  maxims,  however  oddly  they 
may  sound,  are  in  reality  the  binges  upon  which  the  bulk 
of  nominal  Christians  turn;  by  these  despicable  rules  do 
they  square  their  conduct,  in  a  matter  which,  of  all  others, 
is  the  most  weighty  and  interesting.  Whereas  the  true 
mourner  prefers  the  glory  of  God  and  the  interest  of  his 
kingdom  to  every  thing  else.  He  is  not  governed  by  the  low 
and  flexible  maxims  of  worldly  policy;  he  doth  not  consult 
with  flesh  and  blood,  but  makes  the  will  of  God,  and  tlie 
dictates  of  conscience,  the  rule,  and  the  only  rule,  of  his 
conduct.  He  doth  whatsoever  appears  right  to  him  in 
the  mean  time,  and  leaves  the  issue  witli  God.  He  is 
neither  discouraged  by  the  small  number  of  the  godly, 
nor  intimidated  by  the  multitude  of  transgressors;  but 
in  all  cases,  where  he  hath  a  call,  and  opportunity  to 
act,  publickly  avows  the  master  whom  he  serves ;  and  un- 
der the  banner  of  his  Almighty  Saviour,  he  valiantly  con- 
tends with  earth  and  hell,  being  assured  of  a  triumphant 
victory  at  last.  If  this  render  him  vile  in  the  eyes  of 
others,  like  David,  he  is  willing  to  become  yet  more 
vile;  and,  with  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  he  bravely  pre- 
fers the  reproach  of  Christ  to  all  the  fading  riches,  a:^.d 
honours,  and  pleasures,  of  a  present  world. 

A  GREAT  variety  of  uses  might  be  made  of  this  sub- 
ject; but  I  shall  conclude  with  addressing  a  few  words 
to  three  diflerent  classes  of  hearers,  which  may  be  su[)- 
posed  to  comprehend  the  whole  of  this  assembly. 


^94  SERMON  XIX. 

I  shall  begin  with  those  who  think  that  there  is  no 
great  cause  to  complain  of  the  world  at  present;  and 
consequently,  that  the  duty  I  have  been  recommending 
is  neither  so  necessary,  nor  so  seasonable,  as  many 
others  that  might  have  been  chosen.  If  you  are  very 
young,  I  partly  excuse  you ;  but  if  you  are  advanced  in 
life,  I  am  unable  to  devise  any  colour  of  apology  for 
you,  but  must  necessarily  charge  you,  either  with  amaz- 
ing inattention,  or  more  amazing  perverseness ;  for  it  is 
notorious,  that  not  the  power  only,  but  even  the  form  of 
godliness,  is  under  a  lamentable  decay,  and  hath  been 
so  for  many  years  past :  witness  the  general  neglect  of 
family- worship,  the  gross  profanation  of  the  Christian 
Sabbath,  and  sundry  kinds  of  immorality,  which  were 
scarcely  known  in  our  country  half  a  century  ago. 
These  ill-boding  symptoms  make  it  too  evident,  that  we 
are  a  degenerate  and  backsliding  people,  who  are  fast 
filling  up  the  measure  of  our  iniquity ;  and  it  is  an  addi- 
tional cause  of  grief  that  so  few  among  us  observe  and 
are  affected  with  it. 

I  shall  next  speak  to  those  who  make  a  mock  of  sin, 
who  are  obstinate  and  hard-hearted,  and,  instead  of  la- 
menting, glory  in  their  wickedness.  You  perhaps  sus- 
pect that  I  am  going  to  address  you  witli  sharpness  and 
severity ;  but  you  are  really  mistaken.  God  knows  that 
I  pity  you,  and  have  no  other  aim  but  to  make  you  pity 
yourselves.  You  have  long  been  deaf  to  warnings  and 
reproofs :  O  let  the  sweet  voice  of  mercy  at  length  pre- 
vail! God  hath  sworn  that  he  taketh  no  pleasure  in  your 
tleath ;  and  this  is  his  call  to  you  after  all  your  provoca- 
tions, Tarn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  f  Nay,  he  hath 
paved  tlie  way  for  your  return  to  him  with  the  blood  of 
his  own  Son,  "wlio  suffered,  the  just  for  the  unjust, 
that  he  might  bring  tlic  chief  of  sinners  to  God,''  It  i$ 


SERMON  XIX.  g9& 

impossible  you  can  prevail  against  him,  or  disappoint 
him  of  his  glory;  the  weapons  of  your  rebellion  can  only 
hurt  yourselves ;  and,  ere  long,  the  proudest  of  his  ene- 
mies shall  bow  down  before  him,  and  lick  the  very 
dust.  Even  you,  my  friends,  must  either  bend  to  the 
sceptre  of  his  grace,  or  be  dashed  in  pieces  with  his  rod 
of  iron:  those  haughty  looks  shall  shortly  be  humbled^ 
either  in  mercy  or  in  judgment;  and  if  once  his  wrath 
begin  to  burn,  there  is  no  power  that  shall  be  able  to 
deliver  you  out  of  his  hand.  Why  then  will  you  reject  his 
gracious  counsel?  Why  will  you  perish  when  mercy  is 
in  your  offer?  Why  will  you  break  the  liearts  of  all  that 
fear  God,  when,  by  your  conversion,  and  flight  into  the 
true  city  of  refuge,  you  might  afford  cause  of  great  joy 
both  in  heaven  and  on  earth?  For  the  Lord's  sake  con- 
sider your  ways,  and  be  wise ;  "  seek  the  Lord  while  he 
may  be  found,  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near."  The 
great  enemy  of  your  souls  will  probably  suggest  to  you, 
that  if  you  comply  with  this  exhortation,  your  old  com- 
panions will  mock  and  ridicule  you,  in  proportion  to 
your  former  excess  in  sin ;  and  this  snare,  I  am  afraid, 
is  too  fatally  successful  with  many.  But  let  not  any  sug- 
gestion of  this  kind  deter  you  from  doing  what  you  plain- 
ly see  to  be  your  duty  and  your  interest.  The  godly, 
with  whom  you  join  yourselves,  will  be  far  from  up- 
braiding you  with  past  offences;  they  will  freely  forgive 
all  the  injuries  you  have  done  to  them,  and  teach  you 
to  magnify  the  riches  of  divine  grace,  which  took  hold 
of  themselves  when  ready  to  perish,  and  advanced  them 
to  be  heirs  of  everlasting  salvation.  ^'  W^herefore  come 
out  from  among  the  wicked,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thhig;  and  1  will 
receive  you,  and  I  will  be  a  father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  sons  and   daughters,  saith  tJie  Lord  Almighty." 


^96  SERMON  XIX. 

I  now  turn  with  pleasure  to  the  mourners  in  Ziony 
who  5\re  deeply  aft'ected  with  their  own  sins  and  with 
the  sins  of  those  among  whom  they  live.  And  I  would 
say  for  your  encouragement,  that  this  becoming  temper 
aifords  undoul»ted  evidence  of  a  work  of  grace  upoii 
your  own  henrts.  Hereby  it  appears  that  you  are  the 
children  of  Grod,  seeing  the  honour  of  your  heavenly- 
Father  is  so  precious  in  your  esteem.  And  know  for 
your  comfort,  that  none  of  these  filial  tears  can  be  lost: 
God  puts  them  into  his  bottle,  as  the  Psalmist  expresses 
it;  and  whatever  be  the  fate  of  those  on  whose  account 
they  were  shed,  you  shall  at  last  receive  joy  for  mourn- 
ing, and  garraf'uts  of  everlasting  praise  for  your  present 
spirit  of  heaviness.  This  holy  grief,  as  you  learn  from 
the  context,  may  be  a  means  of  securing  you  against 
temporal  jiulgments;  at  any  rate,  it  will  sweeten  them, 
and  shall  undoubtedly  be  succeeded  with  fulness  of  joy 
at  God's  right  liand. 

But  you  will  remember,  that  grief  for  abounding  in- 
iquity, if  pure  and  genuine,  is  always  accompanied  with 
vigorous  endeavours  to  reclaim  transgressors.  This, 
then,  my  brethren,  is  what  God  demands  and  expects 
from  you.  Let  every  one  in  his  station  contribute  his  aid 
for  the  suppression  of  vice,  and  for  promoting  the  inter- 
ests of  pure  and  undefiled  religion.  Let  us  join  hand  in 
hand  in  this  necessary  work  and  labour  of  love.  Fired 
witii  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  fervent  charity  to  the 
souls  of  men,  let  us  not  only  sigh  and  cry  for  the  abomi- 
nutlons  that  are  done  in  the  midst  of  our  land,  but  do 
all  that  we  can  to  prevent  the  ruin  of  a  sinful  nation. 

Hereby  we  shall  become  public  blessings  while  we 
live,  and  shall  at  last,  through  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ,  have  an  entrance  ministered  unto  us  into  that 
better  world,  where  all  tears  siiall  be  wiped  away  from 


SERMON  XX.  g97 

our  eyes,  where  the  inhabitauts  are  altogether  unstain- 
ed, and  the  joys  absolutely  perfect;  where,  with  one 
heart,  and  one  voice,  we  shall  celebrate  the  praises  of 
Zion's  King;  ascribing  glory  and  honour,  dominion  and 
power,  to  hira  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the 
Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen, 


©iaiBsa(DS3  ss* 

EccL.  viii.  11. 

Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed 
speedily  ;  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is 
fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 


A  HOUGH  God  had  not  favoured  us  with  an  explicit 
revelation  of  his  will,  yet  that  absolute  perfection  which 
Reason  must  attribute  to  the  Supreme  Being,  would 
naturally  lead  us  to  conclude,  that  he  cannot  look  upon 
sin  without  the  greatest  abhorrence  ;  and,  in  conse- 
quence thereof,  that  his  impartial  justice,  and  almighty 
power,  will  not  always  sutler  that  abominable  thing 
which  he  hates  to  pass  unpunished.  Accordingly  we 
find,  that  the  conscience  of  man,  till  a  long  habit  of  sin- 
ning hath  rendered  it  callous  and  insensible,  gives  a  re- 
luctant assent  to  the  equity  of  such  punishment,  by  that 
anguish  which  it  raiseth  in  the  sinner's  mind  upon  the 
commission  of  any  gross  and  heinous  transgression. 
This  made  Judas  to  cry  out  after  iiis  vile  treachery,  "  I 

have  betrayerf  innocent  blood."    Nay^  so  powerfully 
^'01..  r.  S  N 


298  SERMON  XX. 

was  his  liearL  smitten  witii  a  sense  of  the  ileraerit  of  his 
criuio,  tliat,  dcspaiiins;  of  pardon,  he  in  a  manner  an- 
ticipated the  sentence  of  condemnation,  and  became  the 
executioner  of  divine  justice,  by  hiying  violent  hands 
upon  himself.  And  the  apostle  Paul  testifies  concerning 
the  Gentile  world,  that  even  tiiey,  by  the  light  of  Na- 
ture, and  the  dictates  of  unassisted  Reason,  ''knew  the 
judgment  of  God  ;'"  and  universally  acknowledged,  with 
respect  to  many  acts  of  atrocious  wickedness,  "  that  they 
who  committed  such  things  were  wortliy  of  death/' 

But  the  sacred  records  have  put  this  matter  beyond 
all  uncertainty.  There  *'  the  wratli  of  God  is  revealed 
from  heaven  against  all  unrighteousness  and  ungodli- 
ness of  men  :''  and  a  curse  is  denounced  against  every 
one,  without  exception,  ''  who  continueth  not  in  all 
things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them."  So  that  a  sentence  is  passed,  and  stands  in  force, 
against  every  evil  work;  and  ihe  words  of  Solomon, 
which  I  have  chosen  for  the  subject  of  the  following  dis- 
course, represent  to  us,  on  the  one  hand,  the  marvellous 
patience  of  God  in  suspt  nding  the  execution  of  this  righ- 
teous sentence;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  men's  vile  abuse 
of  his  unmerited  goodness.  Instead  of  being  led  to  re- 
pentance, they  grow  bolder  in  sin;  and  ^' tecawse  sen- 
tence against  their  evil  works  is  not  speedily  executed, 
therefore,  their  heart  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 

There  is  an  awful  emphasis  in  the  last  of  these  ex- 
pressions: it  denotes  the  extreme  wickedness  that  sin- 
ners may  arrive  at;  not  only  to  commit  sin  when  assault- 
ed with  violent  temptations,  but  to  make  an  habitual 
trade  of  it ;  nay,  to  employ  themselves  in  it  with  delight. 
Their  heart  is  so  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil,  that  all 
their  feiculties  bend  that  way.  Thus  we  read  of  some 
''  who  drink  iniquity  like  water;"   *^  who  devise  mis 


SERMON  XX.  299 

chief  upon  their  beds,  smd  set  themselves  in  a  way  that 
is  not  good  ;  nay,  who  put  tliemselves  to  incredible  pains 
and  hard  labour,  as  it  were,  that  they  may  exceed  in 
wickedness:  ^'  they  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniqui- 
ty;"  and  **  sin  as  with  a  cart-rope." 

It  must  no  doubt  appear  an  incredible  abuse  of  the 
divine  goodness,  to  pervert  that  patience  which  should 
lead  men  to  repentance,  into  an  encouragement  to  sin 
more  presumptuously;  yet  so  it  hath  been  in  times  past; 
and  there  is  too  just  cause  to  complain,  that  it  continues 
to  be  so  still.  Indeed,  "  when  God's  judgments  are  in 
the  earth,"  the  inhabitants  iheveoi  do  sometimes  "learn 
righteousness;"  at  least,  so  long  as  the  rod  lies  heavy 
upon  them,  they  may  refrain  from  those  sins  which  they 
imagine  have  subjected  them  to  it;  but  no  sooner  is  the 
rod  laid  aside,  than  they  quickly  relapse  into  their  for- 
mer course  of  living,  agreeably  to  what  the  prophet  Isai- 
ah observes,  "  Let  favour  be  shewn  to  the  wicked,  yet 
he  will  not  learn  righteousness  ;  in  the  land  of  upright- 
ness will  he  deal  unjustly,  and  will  not  behold  the  ma- 
jesty of  the  Lord."  What  is  written,  (Luke  xii.  45.)  is  too 
just  a  picture  of  the  temper  and  practice  of  the  bulk  of 
mankind;  "  they  say  in  their  heart.  The  Lord  delayeth 
his  coming;  and  thereupon  presume  to  beat  their  fellow- 
servants,  and  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  to  be  drunken;" 
yea,  not  the  foolish  virgins  only,  but  even  the  wisej  are 
in  danger  of  slumbering,  while  the  bridegroom  tarrieth, 
as  we  read,  Matth.  xxv.  5. 

There  is  an  unhappy  tendency  in  our  nature  to  forget 
God.  The  best  find  enough  ado  to  overcome  it;  but  the 
wicked  give  full  scope  to  it;  and  nothing  but  chastise- 
ment, severe  and  present  chastisement,  will  bring  them 
the  lengtii  even  of  a  feigned  submission  to  God.  Hence 
the  observation  is  drawn,  that  times  of  adversity  hare 


300  SERMON  XX. 

always  been  most  friendly  to  religion ;  and  they  must 
know  little  of  the  history  of  the  world  in  general,  and 
of  their  own  country  in  particular,  who  do  not  agree  in 
this  remark.  National  prosperity  is  certainly  most  desi- 
rable ;  we  regard  it  as  a  blessing,  we  pray  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  it;  and  it  is  our  duty  to  do  so:  yet  if  we  ex- 
amine the  annals  of  former  times,  and  do  not  turn  away 
our  eyes  from  the  real  state  of  our  own  times,  we  shall 
be  obliged  to  acknowledge,  that  a  calm  is  often  more 
hurtful  than  a  storm,  both  to  the  church  and  people  of 
God.  True  it  is,  that  arts  and  sciences  flourish,  and  a 
form  of  godliness  may  perhaps  pre>ail:  but,  alas!  the 
life  and  power  of  it  decay  apace ;  vices  formerly  un- 
known spring  up  like  weeds  in  too  rank  a  soil ;  even 
the  best  are  apt  to  grow  remiss  and  careless,  wanton 
and  secure. 

A¥hat  I  apprehend  to  be  most  necessary  upon  this 
subject  is,  to  inquire  whence  this  unnatural  abuse  of 
the  divine  patience  proceeds ;  and  to  detect  some  of 
those  false  reasonings  by  which  sinners  derive  encou- 
ragement to  do  evil,  from  that  very  exercise  of  goodness 
which  ought  to  produce  the  quite  contrary  effect. 

Now  the  principal  causes  of  this  abuse,  or  the  steps 
whereby  sinners  arrive  at  the  amazing  pitch  of  wick- 
edness described  in  my  text,  seem  to  be  these  following. 

The  delay  of  punishment  gradually  weakens  those 
impressions  of /ear,  whereby  the  unpractised  sinner  is 
always  alarmed  at  his  entrance  upon  a  wicked  and  fla- 
gitious course  of  life.  No  man  becomes  utterly  profligate 
at  once:  conscience  will  remonstrate  to  the  young  trans- 
gressor; and  the  struggle  is  ofttimes  sharp  and  long  be- 
fore this  deputy  of  the  Supreme  Judge  can  be  wholly 
put  to  silence.  It  were  superfluous  to  prove  what  every 
ix^an  feels,  or  at  least  must  have  felt,  in  some  period  of 


SERMON  XX  301 

liis  life.  Depraved  as  we  are,  sins  of  a  grosser  kind  are 
always  committed  with  some  reluctance  at  their  first 
commencement,  and  followed  with  remorse  and  dread 
of  punishment ;  but  when,  after  repeated  acts  of  sin,  the 
transgressor  still  finds  himself  safe,  these  painful  feel- 
ings abate  by  degrees;  the  man  waxeth  bolder  day  af- 
ter day;  and  thus  proceeds  from  evil  to  worse,  till,  like 
Job's  war-horse,  he  at  length  "  mocks  at  fear,"  and 
rusheth  headlong  in  his  wicked  course  without  any  re- 
straint. This  1  take  to  be  the  leading  abuse  of  divine 
patience ;  which  paves  the  way  to  every  subsequent  step 
of  departure  from  God,  till  the  sinner  arrive  at  the  last 
stage  of  impiety,  an  heart  fully  set  in  him  to  do  evil. 
For,  as  "  the  fear  of  God  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom  ;*' 
80  the  want  of  this  fear  may,  with  equal  propriety,  be 
styled  the  beginning  of  folly,  or  the  introduction  into  a 
wicked  and  profligate  life. 

Having  got  thus  far,  he  proceeds  to  call  in  question 
the  omniscience  of  God,  and  to  entertain  some  hope  that 
his  iniquities  may  pass  unobserved.  Of  such  we  read, 
(Psalm  Ixiv.  5.)  "  They  encourage  themselves  in  an 
evil  matter;  they  commune  of  laying  snares  privily; 
they  say.  Who  shall  see  us?"  And,  (Psalm  x.  11.) 
"  He  hath  said  in  liis  heart,  God  hath  forgotten ;  He 
hideth  his  face,  He  will  never  see  it."  He  begins  to 
think  that  God  taketh  no  notice  of  human  affairs  when 
vice  passeth  long  unpunished;  and  thence  he  derives 
fresh  courage,  and  persists  in  his  career  with  growing 
intrepidity. 

At  length  he  acquires  the  boldness  to  impugn  the  ho- 
liness of  God,  and  to  form  an  idea  of  him  that  suits  the 
corrupt  disposition  of  his  own  heart.  He  endeavours  to 
persuade  himself,  that  the  remorse  he  used  to  feel  after 
the  commission  of  sin,  was  purely  owing  to  the  prejudice 


30S  SERBION  XX. 

of  education,  and  the  influence  of  some  narrow  princi- 
ples instilled  into  his  mind  by  his  parents  or  tutors,  be- 
fore he  was  capable  of  judging  for  himself. 

This  step  to  a  total  degenerac}"^  is  strongly  marked, 
(Psalm  1.  2i.)  where  God  saith,  "These  things  thou 
hast  done,  and  1  kept  silence;  thou  thoughtest  that  I  was 
altogether  such  a  one  as  thyself."  Because  God  kept  si- 
lence, and  did  not  utter  his  anger  in  speedy  vengeance, 
the  sinner  thought  that  he  was  altogether  such  a  one  as 
himself;  that  virtue  and  vice  were  fictitious  names,  fram- 
ed by  credulous  or  designing  men;  that  God  made  no 
diffkM'ence  between  them,  but  was  every  whit  as  well 
pleaded  with  the  one  as  with  tlie  other.  Dreadful  abuse 
of  rhe  divine  patience !  an<l  yet  T  am  afraid  it  is  too  pre- 
valent in  our  day;  else  whence  these  secret  whisperings 
among  some  who  pretend  to  think  above  the  common 
rate,  that  their  constitution  inclines  them  to  such  and 
such  gratifications;  which,  therefore,  cannot  be  criminal, 
seeing  the  author  of  their  being  hath  implanted  these  ap- 
petites in  their  frame,  and  of  consequence  must  be  held 
as  consenting  to  the  indulgence  of  them?  When  punish- 
ment is  long  suspended,  corruption  too  easily  breeds 
such  conceits  as  these;  and  nothing  but  t!ie  rod,  a  sharp 
and  sanctified  rod,  will  suffice  to  expel  them.  Thus  ma- 
ny interpret  a  mere  delay  of  punishment  as  a  certain  to- 
ken that  their  conduct  is  approved  of;  and  because  God 
is  not  like  man,  weak  and  impotent  to  restrain  his  an- 
ger, hence,  they  impiously  conclude,  that  he  doth  cer- 
tainly resemble  him  in  another  respect;  I  almost  trem- 
ble to  mention  it, — that  he  is  a  lover  of  impurity  :  nay, 
the  very  patron  and  autlior  of  sin. 

From  sucli  premises  as  these,  the  determined  sinner, 
without  much  hesitation,  will  eagerly  draw  the  fatal  in- 
ference, that  the  administration  of  the  divine  government 


SERMON  XX.  303 

shall  always  continue  as  it  appears  to  his  darkened  mind 
at  present;  and  that  God  doth  neither  mark  iniquity  uow, 
nor  will  enter  into  judgment  with  sinners  for  it  after- 
wards. We  find  the  Psalmist  proposing;  a  question, 
(Psalm  X.  13.)  ^'  Wherefore  doth  the  wicked  condemn 
God?"  which  lie  answers  thus,  "He  hath  said  in  his 
Iieart,  Tliou  wilt  not  require  it."  One  of  the  most  emi- 
nent saints  under  the  old  dispensation,  (as  we  learn  from 
the  73d  Psalm)  was  almost  carried  ojff  his  feet,  upon  ob- 
serving the  prosperity  of  the  wicked,  insomucli  that  he 
put  the  question,  "  How  doth  God  know,  and  is  there 
knowledge  in  the  Most  High?''  Nay,  he  eauic  the 
length  to  say,  "  Verily,  1  have  cleansed  ray  Iieart  in 
vain,  and  washed  my  hands  in  innocence.*'  And  if  holy 
men,  whose  minds  have  been  enlightened  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  are  thus  apt,  for  a  season,  to  suspect  the  w  isdom 
and  righteousness  of  his  administration,  surely  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  that  wicked  men,  "  whose  hearts  are 
hardened  tiirough  the  deceitfuluess  of  sin,''  should  be  so 
far  deluded  by  temporal  prosperity,  as  to  dream  that 
justice  shall  never  awaken,  and  that  sin  shall  always 
pass  unpunished. 

By  a  progress  of  this  kind  do  sinners  arrive  at  the 
dreadful  pitch  of  wickedness  spoken  of  in  my  text. 
When  they  observe  that  sentence  against  an  evil  work 
is  not  sjjeedily  executed,  they  draw  such  false  conclu- 
sions from  it  as  those  I  have  mentioned,  till  at  length 
every  band  that  should  restrain  them  is  broken  asunder, 
and  their  hearts  become  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 

From  this  account  of  the  matter,  you  will  be  able  to 
judge  for  yourselves,  how  far  you  are  advanced  in  the 
road  to  a  total,  I  had  almost  called  it  an  irrecoverable, 
degeneracy.  If  you  have  made  a  shift  to  silence  con- 
science, or  even  to  render  it  more  unfeeling  than  for- 


304*  SERMON  XX. 

roerly  it  bath  been,  you  have  taken  one  very  wide  and 
dangerous  step.  But  as  you  love  your  own  souls,  oh  I 
take  n<»t  another.  Beware  of  listening  to  any  objections 
ai!;^inst  the  omniscience,  the  holiness,  or  ihe  justice  of 
Go<3 ;  for  if  you  do,  in  your  present  state  of  spiritual 
dea(hiess,  your  case  is  more  hazardous  than  I  am  able 
to  describe ;  you  are  not  far  from  the  desperate  situation 
of  those  whose  heart  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 

Amd  now,  ray  dear  friends,  as  it  is  an  undeniable 
truth,  that  this  abuse  of  the  Divine  patience  is  too  fre- 
quent in  our  day,  let  me  beg  your  attention  for  a  little, 
till  1  have  set  before  you  the  folly  and  baseness  of  such 
conduct,  nm\  fatal  consequences  with  which  it  must  ne- 
cessarily be  attended.  Consider,  then, 

ist.  That  to  grow  bolder  in  sin  because  you  are  not 
sjjpedily  punished,  is  most  foolish;  for  unless  you  have 
assurance  of  a  full  indemnity,  and  that  sentence  against 
your  evil  work?-  shall  never  be  executed,  your  conduct 
is  obviously  absurd  and  irrational.  You  have  long 
escuped  through  the  patience  and  forbearance  of  God; 
but  if  you  have  the  remotest  suspicion  that  judgment 
may  one  day  overtake  you ;  nay,  if  you  are  not  abso- 
lutely certain  that  it  never  shall;  upon  what  principle 
of  sound  reason  can  you  be  easy  for  one  moment?  You 
do  not  know  but  that  already  you  have  committed  the 
last  act  of  wickedness  that  God  is  to  tolerate,  and  that 
the  next  transgression  will  bring  down  the  fatal  stroke, 
and  plunge  you  into  remediless  ruin.  You  live  by  a 
mere  act  of  grace;  your  fate  depends  upon  a  reprieve, 
w  hich  the  Sovereign  may  protract  or  shorten  at  his  plea- 
sure ;  and  how  mad  is  it  to  presume  upon  so  precarious 
a  fenure?  Or  if  you  have  conceived  any  hope  of  escape, 
allow  me  to  ask  you,  upon  what  ground  is  your  hope 
built?  It  would  need  to  be  a  strong  foundation  indeed 


SERMON  XX.  305 

that  is  to  carry  all  the  weight  you  are  disposed  to  lay 
upon  it.  Have  you  any  promise  or  declaration  on  the 
part  of  God,  or  any  dictate  of  unprejudiced  Reason, 
that  saith  you  shall  be  safe?  Produce  ^oui  security  that 
we  may  know  it.  If  you  have  nothing  more  to  say  thau 
that  you  hope  to  escape,  because  you  wish  it,  alas !  this 
is  nothing  to  the  purpose;  for  we  read  of  some  fools  who 
say,  or  wish,  in  their  heart  there  were  no  God  ;  and  yet 
a  God  there  is,  who  will  prove  a  consuming  fire  to  them. 
You  dare  not  say  tliat  sin  never  was  punished  ;  for  all 
history,  both  sacred  and  profane,  would  contradict  you ; 
and  it  were  easy  to  quote  many  examples  of  sinners  who 
have  escaped  as  long,  perhaps  longer  than  you,  and  yet 
have  been  punished  at  last;  so  that  unless  you  have 
something  altogether  peculiar  to  yourselves,  some  spe- 
cial indulgence  which  the  world  hath  never  yet  heard 
of,  your  conduct  betrays  the  height  of  madness,  a  de- 
gree of  phrensy  which  no  term  of  reproach  can  fully 
express. 

2dhj.  It  is  no  less  base  than  foolish.  Ingratitude  is 
universally  condemned,  and  branded  with  infamy.  We 
reckon  it  the  mark  of  a  base,  disingenuous  spirit,  to  for- 
get favours  received,  or  even  to  neglect  making  a  pro- 
per return,  when  the  obliged  party  hath  it  in  his  power 
to  do  it:  but  if  one  shall  injure  his  benefactor,  and  ren- 
der evil  for  good,  such  a  person  must  become  an  object 
of  universal  contempt  and  detestation,  and  none  will  be 
found  so  hardy  as  to  plead  in  his  defence.  And  yet  the 
abuse  of  divine  patience,  to  which  my  text  refers,  is  a 
species  of  baseness  that  exceeds  ingratitude;  and  indeed 
no  word  is  to  be  found  in  any  language  I  know,  that  is 
of  sufficient  force  to  express  its  malignity,  or  to  convey 
an  adequate  idea  of  its  abominable  nature.  No  man  ever 
injured  his  benefactor  feecansc  he  was  his  benefactor; 

VOL.  i:  3  o 


300  SEflMON  XX. 

interfering  interests,  or  selfish  views,  may  cause  unequal 
returns  for  benefits  conferred ;  but  in  tlie  case  before  us, 
tiiere  is  something  entirely  different  from  this.  Sinners 
not  only  injure,  or  rather  attempt  to  injure,  their  great- 
est benefactor,  tlie  God  in  whom  they  live  and  move,  by 
whose  power  and  goodness  they  are  supported  every 
moment;  but  his  goodness  to  them  in  times  past,  and 
the  hope  of  its  continuance,  are  the  very  things  that 
embolden  them  to  offend  him ;  and  ''  because  sentence 
against  their  evil  work  is  not  speedily  executed,  there- 
fore iheiv  htdri  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil.''  Devils 
may  be  cajjable  of  this,  but  guilty  of  it  they  are  not : 
their  forlorn  condition  hath  put  it  beyond  their  reach ; 
the  immediate  execution  of  the  doom  tliey  had  incurred, 
afforded  them  no  opportunity  of  trampling  upon  the 
mercy  of  God  :  so  that,  with  regard  to  the  act  of  sin,  we 
plainly  exceed  them  in  this  respect.  O  that  men  could 
be  brought  to  view  their  conduct  in  its  true  light,  I  am 
sure  they  would  loathe  and  abhor  themselves  on  account 
of  it.  To  burden  God's  patience  because  it  is  great;  to 
load  him  with  insults,  because,  out  of  pity  to  us,  he  is 
slow  in  resenting  them ;  to  harden  our  hearts  by  that 
very  merry  which  should  dissolve  and  soften  them  ;  this 
is  worse  than  devilish  ;  there  is  something  in  this  so  per- 
verse, so  monstrous,  so  unnatural,  that  one  would  be 
tempted  to  suspect,  that  some  malicious  slanderer  of 
liuman  nature  had  forged  the  accusation,  were  we  not 
all  conscious  of  the  truth  of  it,  and  more  or  less  convict- 
ed of  this  horrid  baseness  by  the  testimony  of  our  own 
consciences.  These  considerations,  methinks,  should  be 
sufficient  to  deter  us  from  burdening  the  patience  of  God 
any  more.  But  I  have  further  to  add,  in  the 

Sd  place.  That  the  consequences  of  this  abuse  shall, 
ia  the  issue,  be  most  fatal  to  the  sinner  himself.   You 


I 


SERMON  XX.  307 

cannot  defeat  the  purposes  of  God,  nor  impair  his  glory 
in  any  degree;  the  weapons  of  your  rebellion  must  re- 
coil upon  yourselves;  for  God  will  be  magnified  in  them 
that  perish,  as  well  as  admired  in  those  who  are  saved. 
As  the  justice  of  his  nature  renders  his  mercy  more  won- 
derful, so  mercy  abused  will  make  justice  to  shine  forth 
with  greater  splendour.  Sinners  must  stand  speechless 
before  tlie  judgment-seat,  and  shall  find  nothing  to  plead 
in  tlieir  own  defence,  when  the  Judge  shall  say  to  them, 
**  Ye  would  not  come  unto  me,  that  you  might  have  life." 
Long  did  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,  loudly  did  I 
call  upon  you  to  turn  and  live:  but  ye  set  at  nought  all 
my  counsel,  and  would  have  none  of  my  reproof;  there- 
fore now  eat  the  fruit  of  your  own  doings,  and  fill  your- 
selves with  your  own  devices.  Because  when  I  called, 
ye  refused  ;  when  I  stretched  out  my  hand,  ye  did  not 
regard  ;  therefore  do  I  laugh  at  your  calamity,  and  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh,  and  leave  you  to  inherit  that 
wrath  which  you  treasured  up  for  yourselves,  while 
mercy  courted  your  acceptance,  but  did  not  prevail. 

Thus  far  I  have  spoken  for  the  conviction  and  reproof 
of  those  who  have  hitherto  been  abusing  the  divine  pa- 
tience in  the  manner  described  in  my  text ;  and  if  such 
transgressors  still  remain  unmoved,  it  is  not  because  the 
considerations  I  have  suggested  want  weight,  but  be- 
cause they  want  feeling.  May  the  exalted  Prince  and 
Saviour,  who  alone  can  give  the  spirit  and  grace  of  re- 
pentance, "  open  their  eyes,  and  turn  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God, 
that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheri- 
tance among  them  which  are  sanctified  through  faith 
that  is  in  him." 

Upon  the  whole,  let  each  of  us  give  unto  God  the 
glory  of  his  patience,  and  acknowledge,  with  humble 


308  SERMON  XX. 

gratitude,  bis  sparing  mercy  towards  himself  in  parti- 
cular. O  my  friends !  witli  wliat  multiplied  provocations 
are  we  all  chargeable?  Let  us  pitch  upon  the  most  in- 
nocent day  of  our  life  since  we  came  to  the  full  exercise 
of  Reason,  and  say,  if  we  dare,  that  we  are  willing  to 
have  our  final  state  determined  by  the  behaviour  of  that 
one  day,  according  to  the  measure  of  legal  justice.  Can 
conscience  remind  us  of  nothing  that  needs  forgiveness 
or  pardoning  mercy  ?  Surely  none  of  us  will  be  so  har- 
dy as  to  say  this :  our  own  hearts  do,  and  must,  con- 
demn us ;  how  guilty  then  must  we  appear  in  the  sight 
of  that  Grod  who  is  greater  than  our  heart,  and  knowelh 
all  things?  Were  we  chargeable  with  nothing  worse 
than  omissions  of  duty,  yet  these  alone  might  justly 
have  slopped  the  current  of  his  beneficence,  nay,  brought 
down  his  wrath  upon  such  unfaithful  and  negligent  ser- 
vants; but  when  to  these  we  add  our  many  sins  of  com- 
mission, our  sins  against  knowledge,  conviction,  and  re- 
proof, how  great  is  their  amount?  how  heinous  their  de- 
merit? How  astonishing  then  is  the  patience  of  God  ! 
The  saints  in  heaven  are  amazed  at  it;  "  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  slain  for  the  testimony  which  they  held,'' 
who  are  better  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  God,  and 
the  order  of  his  government,  than  we  can  be,  are  repre- 
sented in  the  book  of  the  Revelations,  (chap.  vi.  10.)  as 
expressing  the  greatest  surprise  at  the  slowness  of  his 
wrath ;  nay,  as  being  at  a  loss  to  reconcile  his  patience 
with  his  holiness  and  truth.  ^'  They  cry  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying.  How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost 
thou  not  J!idij;e.  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth?"  And  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing  but  the 
grossest  insensibility,  if  our  hearts  are  not  filled  with 
amazement  at  those  treasures  of  mercy  which  have  al- 
ready been  expended  upon  us,  and  the  overflowings  of 


SERMON  XX.  309 

that  goodness  by  which  we  are  at  this  moment  supported 
and  preserved.  How  many  of  our  companions  have  long 
ago  been  summoned  away  to  receive  their  doom  ?  yet 
we  still  live  in  the  arms  of  mercy.  How  often  has  death 
been  presented  to  our  view,  and  the  sentence  (in  our 
own  apprehension)  just  ready  to  be  executed,  Cut  down 
this  cumberer  of  the  groiuid  ;  when,  lo!  mercy  interpos- 
ed, and  prevailed  for  a  farther  respite  and  trial?  What 
shall  we  say  then?  "  He  is  God,  and  not  man;  and 
therefore  it  is  that  we  are  not  consumed."  O  let  our 
souls,  and  all  that  is  within  us,  be  stirred  up  to  bless 
him,  because  he  is  good,  and  hath  not  executed  sentence 
against  our  multiplied  offences. 

Let  convinced  sinners,  in  particular,  take  encourage- 
ment from  the  patience  and  long-sufferings  of  God.  It  is 
one  of  the  deadly  artifices  of  the  adversary,  who  continu- 
ally "  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,"  to  dis- 
courage the  newly-awakened  soul,  by  whispering,  that 
the  season  of  mercy  is  past,  that  the  door  is  shut,  and  he 
is  come  too  late.  But  be  not  dismayed,  you  are  on  the 
way  to  the  fountain  of  love  and  grace;  go  on,  and  you 
shall  find  more  than  it  is  possible  for  you  to  conceive. 
You  are  going  to  him,  "  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost;" — that  good  Shepherd  who  laid 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep,  by  whose  merit  and  inter- 
cession you  have  been  kept  alive  to  this  hour;  who  in- 
vites the  chief  of  sinners  to  come  to  him ;  and  hath  ex- 
pressly said,  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out."  He  is  "  the  Lamb  of  God,"  meekness  and 
gentleness  itself. — "  He  will  not  break  the  bruised  reed, 
nor  quench  the  smoking  flax."  Did  he  spare  you,  while 
your  heart  was  as  hard  as  a  stone?  and  will  he  destroy 
you,  when,  by  the  convincing  influences  of  his  own 
Spirit,  it  is  softened,  nay  broken,  with  sorrow? — Im- 


310  SERMON  XX. 

possible! — Go  forward  into  liis  presence;  cast  yourself 
at  [lis  feet;  implore  his  protection;  and  as  God  liveth 
tiiy  soul  shall  be  safe. 

To  conclude.  The  patience  of  God  affords  the  strongest 
consolation  to  those  who  are  already  reconciled  to  him 
through  the  great  Mediator.  He  who  waited  so  long 
upon  you,  and  at  length  gained  your  consent,  will  most 
assuredly  keep  you,  and  perfect  his  own  work  in  your 
complete  salvation.  The  mercy  he  is  still  exercising 
towards  enemies,  teacheth  his  friends  what  they  may 
lawfully  hope  to  receive.  Great  are  your  privileges ;  but, 
at  the  same  time,  great  and  manifold  are  your  obliga- 
tions. Hath  much  been  forgiven  you?  then  you  ought 
to  love  the  more,  and  to  show  the  truth  and  favour  of 
your  love,  by  an  unreserved  respect  to  all  his  command- 
ments, "  Be  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children."  Re- 
member that  nothing  is  more  unseemly,  nothing  more 
offensive,  than  the  provocations  of  sons  and  of  daugh- 
ters. "  See,  then,  that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as 
fools,  but  as  wise;"  and  let  the  same  goodness  which 
led  you  to  repentance,  be  continually  present  to  your 
minds,  that  under  its  sweet,  but  powerful  influence,  you 
may  bring  forth  in  rich  abundance  all  those  fruits  of 
righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  praise 
and  glory  of  God.  timen. 


31 1 


Preached  at  the  Introduction  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Charles  Stu- 
art to  the  Church  of  Cramond,  the  Sabbath  after  his  Ordina- 
tion, 1773. 

2  CoRiN.  iv.  5. 

We  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Chiust  Jesus  the  Lord  ; 
and  ourselves  your  servants  for  J esvs^  sake. 


W  HEN  God  descended  upon  Sinai  to  give  laws  to 
his  ancient  people  Israel,  the  awful  tokens  of  his  pre- 
sence, the  thunderlngs  and  lightnings,  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  and  the  smoking  of  the  mountain,  struck  the 
whole  camp  with  such  consternation  and  dread,  that 
they  were  constrained  to  remove  and  stand  afar  off. 
They  could  not  bear  the  exceeding  lustre  of  his  glory, 
notwithstanding  the  thick  darkness  with  which  it  was 
veiled;  and  therefore  addressed  Moses  in  these  remark- 
able words:  "  Speak  thou  with  Us,  and  we  will  hear; 
but  let  not  God  speak  with  us,  lest  we  die."  From 
which  authentic  piece  of  sacred  history  we  may  justly 
conclude,  that  our  nature  is  too  weak,  in  its  present  state, 
to  sustain  an  immediate  intercourse  with  the  Deity:  For 
which  cause,  God,  in  great  condescension,  is  pleased  to 
speak  to  us  by  men  like  ourselves ;  that,  on  the  one  hand, 
we  may  not  want  the  benefit  of  his  instruction ;  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  that  we  may  not  be  overpowered  by  the 
too  dazzling  splendour  and  majesty  of  the  Teacher. 

Under  the  old  dispensation,  besides  the  stated  minis- 
ters of  religion,  God,  '^  at  sundry  times/ '  sent  extraor- 


312  SERMON  XXI. 

dinary  messengers  on  special  errands  to  the  Jewish 
chmch  ;  furnishing  them  with  such  credentials  of  their 
mission,  as  were  sufficient  to  convince  that  highly-fa- 
voured people  that  they  came  from  God  ;  and  conse- 
quently,  that  in  every  thing  relative  to  their  particular 
message  so  attested,  they  were  bound  to  hearken  to  them 
as  unto  God  himself.  This  we  have  no  warrant  to  look 
for  under  the  gospel :  The  whole  counsel  of  God,  so  far 
as  it  regards  the  chihlren  of  men,  is  clearly  revealed, 
and  committed  to  writing.  Nothing  is  to  be  added  to  it, 
or  taken  from  it;  nay,  could  it  be  supposed  that  an  angel 
were  to  come  from  heaven,  and  publish  any  thing  that 
differed  from,  or  even  that  was  not  already  expressed  in 
the  Scripture-record,  instead  of  our  being  obliged  to  give 
him  a  hearing,  we  are  told,  that  he  himself  would  "  be 
accursed''  for  so  doing. 

Nevertheless,  that  this  complete  and  finished  revela- 
tion might  lack  no  advantage,  and  that  all  excuse  might 
be  taken  away  from  those  who  should  either  contemn 
or  counteract  its  dictates,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  ^'  God 
manifested  in  the  flesh,"  the  great  '•  Apostle  and  High- 
Priest  of  our  profession."  hath  instituted  the  ordinance 
of  a  gospel- ministry,  and  committed  to  men  the  word  of 
reconciliation,  charging  them  to  proclaim,  in  the  ears  of 
their  brethren,  "all  the  words  of  this  life,"  which  are 
already  delivered  in  writing  to  the  church ;  with  a  spe- 
cial promise,  that  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  this  im- 
portant trust,  ^*  he  will  be  with  them  always,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  And  to  add  greater  weight  to 
their  holy  ministrations,  he  hath  expressly  declared,  that 
the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  his  word,  which  they  pub- 
lish in  his  name,  are  to  be  received  with  the  same  meek- 
ness and  submission  as  if  they  were  spoken  immediately 
by  his  own  blessed  mouth  :  (Luke  x.  16.)  "  He  that  bear- 


SERMON  XXr.  313 

eth  you,  heareth  mc;  and  he  that  despiseth  you,  de- 
spiseth  me;  and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him 
that  sent  me."  I  am  sensible,  that  some  proud,  ambi- 
tious churchmen  have,  "  with  great  swelling  words 
of  vanity,"  magnified  their  office  beyond  what  is  meet ; 
laying  claim  to  that  kind  of  precedence  which  belongs  to 
high  rank,  or  other  worldly  distinctions,  which  men 
have  devised  for  the  benefit  or  emi)ellishment  of  civil 
society.  But  this  is  only  a  false  blazon,  that  doth  by  no 
means  suit  the  ministerial  character.  <'  Be  not  ye  called 
Rabbi,"  said  the  blessed  Jesus ;  "  for  one  is  your  mas- 
ter, even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren." — "  Whoso- 
ever is  great  among  you,  let  him  be  your  minister;  even 
as  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many." 
Your  true  dignity  consists  in  your  usefulness :  and  he 
that  stoops  lowest  for  the  good  of  others,  is  highest  in 
my  esteem.  Worklly  pomp  doth  only  tarnish  the  glory 
of  my  servants,  as  it  cannot  consist  with  those  self-de- 
nying duties  which  belong  to  their  employment.  Do  you 
reckon  yourselves  most  honoured,  not  when  men  give 
you  title  and  place,  but  when  they  hearken  to  the  in- 
structions you  receive  from  me,  and  embrace  the  saving 
message  with  which  I  have  entrusted  you.  This,  though 
in  words  somewhat  different,  is,  in  my  apprehension,  a 
genuine  and  summary  account  of  what  our  Saviour 
tauglit  the  first  ministers  of  his  church,  with  regard  to 
the  nature  and  end  of  their  office.  And  the  language  of 
Paul,  in  the  passage  before  us,  is  obviously  formed  upon 
this  original  constitution :  We  preach  not  ourselves^  but 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  ourselves  your  servants,  for 
Jesus',  sake. 

From  an  example  of  such  unquestionable  authority, 

we  may  justly,  and   without  hesitation,  conclude,  that 
VOL.  \.  3  p 


314  SERMON  XXI. 

to  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  is  the  distinguishing 
characteristic  and  proper  emph)ymcnt  of  a  gospel-min- 
ister. And  this  is  the  observation  which  I  propose  to 
illustrate  in  the  following  discourse. 

It  may  be  affirmed  with  truth,  that  something  con- 
cerning Christ  hath  been  the  principal  subject  of  every 
revehition  that  came  from  God,  downward  from  the 
original  promise  made  to  our  first  parents,  that  the  seed 
ufthe  woman  should  bruise  the  head  of  the  serjjevt.  The 
apostle  Jude  informs  us,  that  "  Enoch,  the  seventh  from 
Adam,  prophesied  of  these  things,  saying.  Behold,  the 
Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints,  to  execute 
judgment  upon  all."  Moses  spake  of  him  when  he  said 
unto  the  fathers,  "  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God 
raise  up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  him 
shall  ye  hear  in  all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say  unto 
you.'"'  All  the  extraordinary  messengers  under  the  old 
dispensation  were  raised  up  by  God  for  this  very  pur- 
pose, to  foretel  the  coming  of  the  promised  Messiah,  and;, 
by  the  doctrine  of  repentance,  gradually  to  prepare  the 
world  to  receive  him.  The  w^ords  of  Peter  to  Cornelius 
are  clear  and  strong  upon  this  head,  (Acts  x.  43.)  "  To 
him  gave  all  the  propiiets  witness,  that  through  his 
name,  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  shall  receive  remis- 
sion of  sins."  This,  he  tells  us,  was  the  subject  of  their 
own  most  delightful  inquiry:  (1  Pet.  i.  10.)  ''Of  this  sal- 
vation the  prophets  have  inquired,  and  searched  diligent- 
ly, w  ho  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto 
YOU  :  searching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time,  the  spirit 
of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testi- 
fied before-hand  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory 
that  should  follow.'^ 

And  if  Christ  was  an  object  of  such  importance  to 
those  who  lived  before  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  it 
cannot  surprise  us  to  find,  that  they  who  could  testify 


SERMON  XXI.  315 

tliat  he  icas  come,  and  had  finislied  the  work  that  was 
given  him  to  do,  should  in  all  their  writings  and  dis- 
courses dwell  upon  liim  as  their  constant  and  most  de- 
lightful theme.  The  author  of  this  epistle  informs  the 
Coriuthians,  that  "  he  determined  not  to  know  any  thing 
among  them  hut  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.-'  And 
elsewhere,  he  saith,  that  "  he  eounteth  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowletlge  of  Jesus  Christ 
his  Lord."  This  was  that  "  chosen  vessel"  whom  the 
liord  converted  in  a  miraculous  way,  and  sent  forth 
to  bear  his  name  before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and 
children  of  Israel ;  and  his  zeal  and  fidelity  in  execut- 
ing his  trust  appear  evidently  from  his  writings.  Ho 
msiile  Clmsi  t\\(i  foundation  of  slW  his  sermons,  as  we 
read  (1  Cor.  iii.  10,  11.)  ^'  I  have  laid  the  foundation, 
and  another  buildeth  thereon.  But  let  every  one  take 
beed  how  he  buildeth.  For  other  foundation  can  no  man 
lay  than  that  which  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ;^' 
intimating,  in  the  strongest  manner,  that  all  preaching 
which  doth  not  refer  to  Christ,  and  lead  to  him,  is  like 
building  a  castle  upon  the  loose  sand,  which  may  please 
the  fancy  for  a  little,  but  as  it  wants  a  foundation,  will 
soon  tumble  down,  to  the  equal  disgrace  and  hurt  of  the 
builder.  And  as  Christ  was  the  foundation,  so  was  he 
likewise  the  end  of  his  preaching;  and  not  of  his  only, 
but  of  all  his  brethren  in  the  apostlesiiip,  and  fellow-la- 
bourers in  the  ministry;  as  is  fully  expressed  in  the  text: 
We  jjreach  not  ourselves^  but  Christ  Jesiis  the  Lord, 
and  ourselves  your  servants,  for  Jesus^  sake.  We  seek 
not  to  advance  our  credit  and  interest ;  our  sole  aim  is 
to  render  Jesus  great  and  amiable  in  your  esteem  :  and 
we  desire  to  be  considered  in  no  other  light  than  as  your 
ministers  or  servants  for  Jesus''  sake. 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  by  preaching  Christ? 


316  SERMON  XXI. 

This  question  I  shall  endeavour  to  answer  in  the  first 
place ;  after  which  I  shall  show,  that  this  is  the  proper 
employment  and  distinguisliing  characteristic  of  a  gos- 
pel minister;  and  then  conclude  the  subject  with  some 
practical  improvement. 

I  begin  with  answering  the  question,  What  are  we  to 
understand  by  preacJiing  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord? 

ist.  It  plainly  imports  that  we  make  Christ  the  prin- 
cipal subject  of  our  sermons. 

It  is  by  no  means  suflGcient  that  we  speak  of  him  oc- 
casionally ;  we  ought  of  set  purpose  to  unfold  the  Scrip- 
ture doctrines  concerning  him,  that  men  may  be  ac- 
quainted both  with  his  person  and  undertaking,  and 
have  clear  and  enlarged  views  of  that  glorious  deliverer, 
to  whom  they  are  indebted  for  all  they  possess  in  a  pre- 
sent world,  and  for  all  they  hope  to  enjoy  in  the  next. 
In  particular,  we  ought  frequently  to  remind  our  hear- 
ers, that  he  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  lost  sinners  of 
mankind,  is  "  the  beloved  and  only  begotten  Son  of 
God,"  "  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person ;" — *^  that  Word  which  ia 
the  beginning  was  with  God,  and  was  God,  by  whom  all 
things  were  made,  and  without  whom  was  not  anything 
made  that  is  made :"  That  in  order  to  purchase  redemp- 
tion for  us,  he  condescended  to  become  the  Son  of  man ; 
or,  in  the  emphatical  language  of  tiie  Holy  Spirit,  that 
*'the  Word  was  made  ilesh,"  and  assumed  our  nature 
into  a  personal  union  with  his  own  divinity :  That  this 
incarnate  Word,  or  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  after  he 
had  published  a  most  pure  and  perfect  law,  and  exhi- 
bited an  example  of  equal  and  as  absolute  perfection,  at 
length  laid  down  his  life  as  a  true  and  proper  sacrifice 
to  satisfy  the  justice  of  God,  and  to  expiate  the  guilt  of 
m  elect  world :  That  having  thus  made  his  soul  an  of-^ 


SERMON  XXI.  317 

feringfor  sin^  he  soon  IPfter  triumphed  over  death,  and 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  by  rising  from  the 
grave,  and  ascending  to  his  Father's  right  hand,  where 
he  now  sitteth  as  a  priest  upon  his  throne,  interceding 
for  his  peo|)le,  and  di«pensing  those  gifts  wiiich  he  pur- 
chased with  his  bh»od ;  from  w  hence  he  sliall  come  agaia 
in  the  character  of  judge,  taking  ven£:;eance  upon  them 
that  obey  not  his  gospel,  'Uo  be  glorilied  and  admired 
in  tliose  that  believe,"  and  to  complete  the  consolation 
and  joy  of  his  saints.  These  important  truUis  ought  to 
be  fully  explained  and  repeatedly  insisted  upon:  '•  For 
this  is  life  eternal,  to  know  the  only  true  God,  and  Je- 
sus Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent.''  The  natures  and  of- 
fices of  our  Redeemer,  the  glory  of  his  Godhead,  the 
merit  of  his  blood,  and  the  efficacy  of  his  Spirit;  the 
constitution  of  that  government  whereof  he  is  Mediator, 
with  all  the  promises  thereof,  which  are  exceeding  great 
and  precious;  and  especially  the  way  or  manner  in  which 
guilty,  pcdluted  creatures  are  vitally  united  to  this  all- 
sufficient  Saviour,  who,  "  of  God,  is  made  unto  them 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption :''  These,  and  doctrines  connected  with  them, 
are  as  necessary  to  the  souls  of  men,  nay  infinitely  more 
so,  than  food  is  to  their  bodies.  Other  tilings  are  perhaps 
desirable  to  be  known ;  but  these  must  be  known,  or  peo- 
ple are  undone  for  ever :  and  therefore  none  can  be  said 
to  preach  Christ  who  overlook  these  important,  these 
essential  truths,  or  treat  them  in  a  careless,  superficial 
manner. 

2dbj.  To  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  is  to  handle 
every  other  subject  of  discourse  in  such  a  way  as  to  keep 
Christ  continually  in  the  eye  of  our  hearers.  We  must 
acknowledge  iiim  as  the  author  of  the  truths  we  deliver, 
and  improve  them  so  as  to  lead  men  to  him.    It  is  not 


318  SERMON  XXI. 

suflBcient  that  we  publish  the  laws  of  Ciirist,  unless  we 
publish  them  as  his  laws,  and  press  obedience  to  them 
by  those  motives  and  arguments  which  are  peculiar  to 
his  gospel.  In  recommending  the  great  duties  of  moral- 
ity, we  should  represent  them  as  the  genuine  effects  and 
proper  evidences  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  love  to  God ; 
directing  our  hearers  at  the  same  time  to  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  for  assistance,  and  to  his  merit  for  the  acceptance 
of  all  their  services;  and,  after  all,  we  should  remind 
them,  that  as  they  are  at  best  '^  unprofitable  servants/' 
instead  of  depending  upon  any  thing  done  by  them,  as 
the  ground  of  their  justification,  in  whole  or  in  part,  they 
must  renounce  all  confidence  in  the  flesh,  and  seek  to 
be  found  in  Christ  alone;  ^'  not  having  their  own  righ- 
teousness, but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ, 
even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith." 

These  are  not  trivial  circumstances,  as  some  repre- 
sent them  to  be :  on  the  contrary,  they  are  essential  to 
the  right  preaching  of  Christ ;  and,  if  they  be  omitted, 
I  can  easily  conceive  it  possible  for  a  minister  to  preach 
all  his  life  long  upon  the  moral  precepts  of  Christianity, 
without  any  other  effect,  than  to  lead  his  people  away 
from  the  Saviour,  and  to  carry  them  hood-winked  into 
everlasting  perdition.  The  apostles  of  our  Lord,  and 
they  surely  are  the  best  and  most  approved  patterns  of 
our  imitation,  introduced,  upon  all  occasions,  the  peculiar 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  both  into  their  discourses  and 
epistles ;  and  never  failed  to  press  the  duties  they  en- 
joined by  those  regards  which  are  due  to  Clirist  himself. 
Thus,  humility  and  self-denial  are  recommended  by  the 
lowliness  and  patience  of  Christ :  Chastity  is  enforced 
by  this  consideration,  "  that  our  bodies  are  the  members 
of  Christ,  and  the  temples  of  his  Spirit."  We  are  ex- 
horted to  abound  in  alms-deeds;   '^  because  Christ  for 


SERMON  XXL  31 9 

Gur  sakes  became  poor,"  and  in  testimony  of  our  thank- 
fulness to  God  "  for  his  unspeakable  gift."  Husbands 
are  charged  to  love  their  wives,  ^^  as  Christ  loved  his 
church :"  and  servants  are  commanded  to  be  faithful  and 
diligent,  '^  that  they  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  their 
Saviour."  In  short,  Christ  is  so  deeply  engraved  upon 
every  moral  precept  in  the  New  Testament  writings, 
that  we  must  read  his  name  upon  every  duty;  nay,  we 
caunot  efface  his  name,  without  debasing,  or  rather  vitia- 
ting, the  duty  itself,  and  casting  away  the  most  pow- 
erful inducement  to  the  practice  of  it.  I  therefore  said, 
that  to  preach  Christ,  is  not  only  to  publish  wfiat  the 
Scriptures  say  concerning  him,  but  likewise  to  handle 
every  other  subject  of  discourse  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
keep  Christ  continually  in  the  eye  of  our  hearers;  and 
they  whose  scliemes  of  religion  do  not  admit  of  this,  may 
be  assured,  without  any  further  examination,  that  their 
schemes  differ  widely  from  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

Sdly.  To  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  is  to  make 
the  advancement  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  salvation  of 
men,  the  sole  aim  of  our  preaching.  We  must  not  seek 
our  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  him  who  sent  us.  If  we 
serve  ourselves,  we  must  reward  ourselves  as  we  can. 
Such  only  can  look  for  the  approbation  of  Christ,  who 
make  the  honour  of  his  name,  and  the  happiness  of  man- 
kind, the  ultimate  end  of  all  their  ministrations.  They 
that  usurp  the  sacred  office  from  interested  views,  or 
merely  to  gain  a  subsistence  in  a  present  world,  will  hnd 
in  the  issue,  that  they  have  turned  the  best  and  most 
salutary  employment  into  a  very  bad  trade,  and  only 
entitled  themselves  to  more  and  heavier  stripes  when 
the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear.  ^'  We  are  ambassa- 
dors for  Christ,"  saith  our  Apostle,  at  the  SOth  verse  of 
the  following  chapter,  ''  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 


320  SERMON  XXI. 

by  us,  we  pray  you  in  God's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to 
God.^'  This  is  our  proper  business,  the  errand  upon 
which  we  are  sent.  The  glory  of  Grod,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  men,  are  the  great  and  good  ends  of  the  pastoral 
office;  and  he  who  loseth  sight  of  these,  or  proposeth 
any  end  that  is  different  from  them,  may  acquire  the 
reputation  of  a  learned,  an  ingenious,  or  an  eloquent 
orator,  but  cannot  he  styled  a  preacher  of  Christ. — This 
will  further  appear  from  the 

Second  tiling  proposed  :  which  was  to  show,  That 
preaching  Christ  is  the  proper  business,  and  the  dis- 
tinguishing characteristic,  of  a  gospel-minister. 

Can  any  thing  be  more  reasonable,  than  that  they 
who  profess  to  derive  their  authority  from  Christ,  should 
make  him  the  principal  sulyect  of  their  sermons,  and 
recommend  him  to  the  esteem  and  love  of  their  hearers? 
And,  on  tiie  other  hand,  can  any  thing  be  more  unrea- 
sonable, can  any  thing  be  more  unjust,  than  to  assume 
the  character  of  his  messengers,  while  they  seldom  or 
never  mention  his  name  ;  or  speak  of  him  in  such  a 
way,  as  rather  tends  to  breed  contempt  ofjiim,  than  to 
reufler  him  precious  to  the  souls  of  men  ?  But  what  I 
would  cliiefly  observe  is,  ihat  preaching  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord,  is  the  great  means  which  God  hath  appointed 
for  the  conversion  and  final  salvation  of  sinners  :  and 
therefore  it  is  not  only  highly  reasonable,  but  absolutely 
necessary;  and  they  are  cruel  to  men,  as  well  as  uu- 
faithful  to  God,  who  do  not  make  conscience  of  this  im- 
portant duty.  Lectures  upon  morality  may  be  of  use  to 
restrain  men  from  scandalous  sins,  but  it  is  the  gospel 
alone  that  can  save  a  sinner.  A  preacher,  by  discours- 
ing Avell  upon  the  duties  that  belong  to  self-government. 
and  righteousness,  may  correct  many  outward  disor- 
ders in  the  life,  and  produce  such  a  change  in  the  heart 


SERMON  XXI.  321 

itself,  as  to  convert  those  into  we?!,  who  formerly  were 
depraved  to  such  a  degree,  that  they  differed  very  little 
from  the  brutes  that  perish.  But  after  they  become  men, 
the  greatest  change  doth  still  remain  5  those  men  must 
be  converted  into  saints;  they  must  be  changed  into  the 
divine  image ;  their  very  nature  iifust  be  renewed,  be- 
fore they  can  be  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  God :  "  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven;''  and  it  is  the  gospel  alone  which  the 
Spirit  renders  powerful  for  producing  this  effect.  Mo- 
rality grows  out  of  faith  in  Christ,  as  the  branches  grow 
from  the  stock.  This,  and  this  only,  is  the  principle  of 
that  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  God. 
Whosoever,  therefore,  would  preach  morality  with  any 
hope  of  success,  must  begin  liere,  and  lay  the  founda- 
tion of  it  in  that  faith  which  purifieth  the  heart,  and 
worketh  by  love;  otherwise  his  sermons  may  supply 
fuel  to  pride  and  vain-glory,  but  shall  never  be  the 
means  of  saving  one  soul.  In  vain  do  we  attempt  to  im- 
prove the  fruit  till  the  tree  be  made  good.  Let  sinners 
be  first  ingrafted  into  Christ,  and  then  works  of  righte- 
ousness will  follow  in  course;  as  our  blessed  Lord  hath 
taught  us  (John  xv.  4,  5.)  "  i\.bide  in  me,  and  I  in  you. 
As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide 
in  the  vine;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.  I 
am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches :  he  that  abideth  in 
me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit; 
for  without  me  [or  separated  from  me]  ye  can  do  noth- 
ing." Accordingly  we  find,  that  the  preaching  Christ, 
or  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  hath  in  every  age 
been  tlie  means  of  convincing  and  converting  sinners, 
and  of  building  them  up  in  holiness  and  comfort, 
through  faith  unto  salvation ;  and  in  the  same  propor- 
tion that  this  hath  been  neglected,  the  power  of  godli- 

TOT  .   T.  ^3  (I 


J^3  SERMON  XXI. 

ness  Iiath  (kcliiicd  and  languished,  till  a  cold  formaliiy 
halli  at  length  given  way  to  the  open  profession  of  infi- 
delity itself.  It  was  the  observation  of  a  judicious  and 
pious  writer  upon  this  subject,  '^  That  where  a  great 
and  universal  neglect  of  preaching  Christ  hath  prevail- 
ed in  a  Christian  nation,  it  hath  given  a  fatal  occasion  to 
the  growtii  of  Deism  and  infidelity;  for  when  people 
have  heard  the  sermons  of  their  ministers  for  many  years 
together,  and  find  little  of  Christ  in  them,  they  have  ta- 
ken it  into  their  heads,  that  men  may  be  very  good,  and 
go  safe  to  heaven,  without  Christianity;  and  therefore, 
though  they  dwell  in  a  land  where  the  gospel  is  pro- 
fessed, they  imagine  there  is  no  need  they  should  be 
Christians.'^  To  which  I  may  add,  that  it  is  no  less  ob- 
servable, on  the  other  hand,  that  wherever  there  has 
been  any  revival  of  religion,  it  hath  uniformly  been  in- 
troduced and  carried  on,  through  the  blessing  of  God, 
by  preaching  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity. 
These,  and  these  alone,  have  been,  and  ever  will  be, 
"  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God  unto  salvation." 

The  application  of  what  hath  been  said  to  the  minis- 
ters of  reiigion,  is  so  direct  and  obvious,  that  I  need  not 
enlarge  upon  it;  and  therefore  any  further  improvement 
I  am  to  make  of  the  subject,  shall  be  addressed,  not  to 
them  ihsii  preach,  but  to  those  that  Jiear.  And  what  hath 
been  delivered,  may  serve  to  inform  them  what  sort  of 
prcacliing  they  ought  chiefly  to  value.  I  am  afraid,  that 
by  many  the  great  and  essential  truths  of  the  gospel 
are  too  little  regarded :  like  the  Athenians  of  old,  they 
require  something  new,  something  that  may  gratify  aa 
itching  ear,  and  furnish  matter  for  a  vain  imagination  to 
work  upon.  But  this,  my  brethren,  is  equally  perverse 
and  foolish.  Who  should  regard  wliat  a  servant  saith, 
if  lie  tioth  not  deliver  the  mind  of  his  master?  And  yet 


SERMON  XXI.  323 

1  have  often  observed,  that  the  greatest  number  of  hear- 
ers never  seem  so  well  pleased,  as  when  ministers  speak 
of  those  tilings  that  are  most  foreign  to  their  instructions. 
Did    we  come  upon  a  disagreeable  errand ;  were  we 
charged   wilh  an  e|nbassy  in  which  they  to  whom  we 
speak  Iiave  little  or  no  concern,  such  conduct  might  be 
accounted  for ;  but  when  the  message  we  bring  is  not 
only  most   gracious,   but  likewise  treats  of  matters  in 
which  they  are  immediately  and  most  deeply  interested, 
what  words  can  express  the  folly  and  perverseness  of 
those  who  sliut  their  ears  against  it,  while  they  greedily 
open  them  to  every  thing  else?  Hear  what  the  angel  said 
to  tiie  shepherds  at  Bethlehem,  (Luke  ii.  10.)  -'^Behold  1 
bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to 
all  people."  And  what  were  these  tidings  which  an  an- 
gel was  sent  to  publish,  and  introduced  with  such  a  higii 
commendation  of  their  importance  and  worth?  They  are 
recorded,  (verse  It.)  ^^  Unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in 
the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
"  And  snddenly,"  as  it  follows,   ^^  there  was  with  tlic 
angel  a  multitude  of  the   heavenly  host,  praising  God, 
and  saying.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on  earth  peace, 
good  will   towards   men."    And  yet,  be  astonished,  0 
heavens!  blush,  O  eartli!  this  gospel-sermon,  wliich  an- 
gels reckoned  themselves  honoured  to  preacii,  and  deliv- 
ered  with  such  rapturous    exultation    and  joy,  is,  by 
multitudes  in  our  day,  thought  trifling,  and  stale,  and 
unwortiiy  of  their  attention.    To  remedy  this  shameful, 
but  growing  evil,  hath  been  the  principal   aim  of  my 
present  discourse.    I  have  told  you  what  is  your  duly, 
that  from  thence  you  may  learn  your  own;  for  the  one 
must  necessarily  be  suited  to  the  other.  The  same  au- 
thority which  commandeth  us  to  preach,  doth  virtually 
command  and  oblige  you  to  hear:  and  if  the  pure  doc- 


2M  SERMON  XXI. 

trines  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be  the  subject  of  our  ser- 
mons, it  naturally  follows,  that  you  should  neither  ex- 
pect nor  desire  any  other.  Ponder  with  due  attention 
those  awful  words  in  the  two  verses  preceding  my  text: 
"  If  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  tl^em  that  are  lost :  in 
whom  the  god  of  this  world  l)ath  blinded  the  minds  of 
them  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine 
unto  them."  And  let  each  of  us  pray  in  terms  of  the 
verse  that  immediately  follows,  that  "  God,  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  may  shine  in 
the  hearts  of  both  preachers  and  liearers,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  his  glory,  in  the  face  of  Jesus ;" 
that  ^^  we  all,  beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  God, 
may  be  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glo- 
17,  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.''  ^men. 


335 

Preached  on  a  Communion-Sabbath. 
COLOSSIANS   i.    15, — 19. 

Who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first  born  of 
every  creature :  for  by  him  were  all  things  created 
that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and 
invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or 
principalities^  or  powers;  all  things  were  created  by 
him,  and  for  him.  And  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by 
him  all  things  consist.  And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body, 
the  church:  who  is  the  beginning,  the  first-born  from 
the  dead;  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preemi- 
nence.  For  it  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him  should 
all  fulness  dwell. 


UUR  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  uniformly  represented  to 
us  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  as  the  Saviour  of  fallen  man  ; 
a  Saviour  absolutely  necessary ;  nay,  as  the  only  Sa- 
viour.  To  this  character  he  laid  claim,  in  clear  and  ex- 
press terms,  when  he  said  to  Thomas,  ^'  I  am  the  way, 
and  the  truth,  and  the  life;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Fa- 
ther but  by  me."  And  in  this  important  light  did  Peter 
set  him  forth  at  the  bar  of  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim  :  When 
speaking  of  him  as  tlie  stone  set  at  nought  by  the  build- 
ers, which  was  now  become  the  head  of  the  corner,  he 
added  these  memorable  words :  "  Neither  is  there  sal- 
vation in  any  other;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 
Of  the  same  import  was  the  testimony  of  that  illustrious 


326  SERMON  XXII. 

prophet  vvl)o  was  sent  to  prepare  the  way  before  him. 
and  to  introduce  hiui  to  his  public  ministry  by  baptism  : 
^^  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life ;  and 
he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  Accordingly  we  are  told 
by  the  apostle  John,  that  "this  is  the  command  of  God,'' 
the  first  in  order  under  the  gospel-dispensation,  and 
which  claims  the  title  of  his  peculiar  commandment, 
'^  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ." 

It  is,  or  at  least  it  ought  to  be,  unnecessary  to  observe, 
that  this  intimation  of  the  divine  will  is  sufficient,  by  it- 
self, to  constitute  our  duty.  It  surely  belongs  to  the  great 
Lord  of  all,  to  dispense  Ids  own  grace  by  what  hand, 
and  in  what  manner,  it  pleaseth  him;  and  in  no  case 
doth  it  become  the  creatures  of  liis  power  to  say  unto 
him,  What  dost  thou?  or,  Why  dost  thou  thus?  Elihu 
spake  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness,  when  he  said 
unto  Job,  "'  God  is  greater  than  man :  why  dost  thou 
strive  against  him  ?  for  he  giveth  not  account  of  any  of 
his  matters ;"  that  is,  he  is  not  bound  to  explain  the  rea- 
sons of  his  conduct;  and  none  hath  a  right  to  demand 
that  he  should.  But  glory  to  his  name,  that  with  regard 
to  the  greatest  of  all  his  works,  that  dispensation  of 
grace  which  angels  desire  to  look  into,  and  upon  which 
the  happiness  of  a  whole  order  of  his  creatures  doth  de- 
pend, it  cannot  justly  be  said  that  he  giveth  no  account 
of  this  matter.  He  liath  not  interposed  his  autiiority  as 
Sovereigji,  and  commanded  sinners  to  believe  on  liis 
Son,  that  they  may  be  saved ;  but  he  hath  likewise,  in 
some  measure,  unfolded  tiic  secrets  of  his  eternal  coun«. 
scl,  and  in  particular,  given  us  such  encouraging  views 
of  that  mighty  One  upon  whom  he  hath  laid  our  help, 
as  render  his  command  to  believe  on  him  at  once  the 


SERMON  XXII.  3^ 

strongest  and  most  endearing  expression,  both  of  liis 
wisdom  and  of  Ids  love;  so  tliat  they  wlio  refuse  to  com- 
ply with  this  command,  counteract  the  soundest  princi- 
ples of  reason,  resist  the  clearest  and  most  satisfying 
evidence,  and  shall  be  found,  in  tlie  final  issue  of  things, 
to  have  been  equally  chargeable  with  cruelty  to  them- 
selves; with  ingratitude,  the  vilest  ingratitude,  to  their 
benefactor;  and  the  most  obstinate  rebellion  against  their 
Sovereign  Lord. 

A  few  remarks  upon  the  verses  I  have  been  reading, 
will  serve  to  illustrate  what  I  have  just  now  said.  And 
I  have  chosen  this  passage  for  the  subject  of  my  present 
discourse,  in  hope  that  God  may  bless  it  for  the  convic- 
tion of  some  who  have  hitherto  rejected  his  gracious 
counsel;  but  chiefly  with  a  view  to  confirm  the  faith,  and 
to  heighten  the  joy,  of  believers  in  Christ,  by  showing 
them,  that  he  in  whom  they  trust,  is  in  all  respects  wor- 
thy to  be  depended  upon,  and  will  assuredly  carry  for- 
ward the  work  he  hath  begun,  till  it  shall  be  perfected 
at  length  in  their  complete  salvation. 

The  information  that  is  here  given  us  concerning  our 
Redeemer,  may  be  comprehended  under  the  following 
heads. 

First.  What  he  is  in  himself;  or,  his  original  dignity. 

Secondly,  What  lie  is  to  us ;  or,  the  station  he  holds 
in  his  church.  And, 

Thirdlij.  His  qualifications  for  tlie  discharge  of  what 
belongs  to  that  station. 

What  the  Apostle  saith  upon  ihe,  first  of  these  parti- 
culars, amounts  to  sometliing  more  than  a  simple  asser- 
tion of  our  Lord's  divinity.  It  is  such  an  enlarged  and 
accurate  description  of  proper  and  essential  Godliead,  as 
cannot  possibly  be  applied  to  any  inferior  being.  The 
only  expression  that  hath  an  appearance  of  difficulty  is 


328  SERMON  XXIt 

in  the  close  of  verse  15th,  where  Christ  is  styled  the 
first-born  of  every  creature.  But  the  difficulty  evanishes, 
when  we  attend  to  the  explanation  of  that  title  which 
the  Apostle  subjoins,  or  rather  indeed  to  the  reason  he 
assis;ns  for  giving  him  that  designation.  No  sooner  has 
he  called  him  the  first-born  of  every  creature,  than  he 
immediately  adds,  "  For  by  him  were  all  things  created 
that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  in- 
visiide,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  prin- 
cipalities, or  powers;  all  things  were  created  by  him, 
and  for  him.''  And  that  no  room  might  be  left  for  the 
remotest  suspicion  that  he  himself  might  have  been  cre- 
ated, eternity  J  in  the  most  absolute  sense  of  that  word,  is 
directly  ascribed  to  him  in  the  17th  verse;  "  And  he  is 
before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist."  For 
surely  he  who  existed  before  all  thiii^s,  must  himself  be 
without  beginning,  or  from  everlasting.  Hence  it  ap- 
pears, that  this  designation,  the  first-born  of  every  crea- 
ture, is  of  the  same  import  with  that  other  form  of  ex- 
pression which  the  Apostle  useih,  (Heb.  i.  S.)  where, 
having  styled  him  the  Son  of  God,  he  adds,  "whom  he 
hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things."  And  both  serve  to 
denote  that  universal  dominion  which  our  Lord  hath  by 
inheritance,  as  the  onl\  begotten  of  the  Father,  of  the 
same  essence  with  himself,  "  the  brightness  of  his  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person ;"  an  image  so  ex- 
press, that  when  Philip  said  to  our  Lord,  "  Shew  us 
the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us,"  he  gave  no  answer  but 
this,  "  Have  I  been  so  long  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou 
not  known  me,  Philip?  he  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen 
the  Father:  believest  thou  not  that  1  am  in  the  Fatlier, 
and  the  Father  in  mc?"  Which  is  farther  explained  by 
what  he  said  on  another  occasion,  "I  and  the  Father 
are  one." 


SERMON  XXII.  339 

It  would  be  highly  improper,  when  we  have  such 
agreeable  work  before  us,  to  enter  into  the  thorny  field 
of  controversy ;  nevertheless,  as  so  much  of  our  comfort 
depends  upon  the  persuasion  we  have,  that  he  who  came 
to  save  us  is  truly  God,  I  cannot  close  this  head  with- 
out  requesting  you  to  compare  what  is  written  in  the 
first  verse  of  the  bible,  "  in  the  beginning  God  created 
the   heaven  and  the  earth,"   with  the  introduction  to 
John's  gospel,  "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and 
the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  All 
things  were  made  by  him  ;  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made.''    And  if  to  these  you  add 
that  obvious  conclusion  of  enlightened  Reason,  (Heb. 
iii.  4.)  "  Every   house   is  builded  by  some  man,  but 
he  that  built  all  things  is  God,"— you  will  discover  at 
once  the  true  dignity  of  him  in  whom  we  are  command- 
ed to  trust,  and    see  with  what  strict  propriety  of  lan- 
guage he  is  styled  "  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  "  the 
great  God  and  our  Saviour,"  and  "  God  over  all,  bless- 
ed for  ever." 

Having  thus  briefly  illustrated  his  essential  dignity, 
or  what  he  is  in  himself,  let  us  now  consider, 

Secondly,  AVhat  he  is  to  us.  This  we  learn  from  the 
18th  verse,  where  the  Apostle  calls  him  the  head  of  the 
hndy,  the  church  ;  which  leads  us  to  view  him  as  "  the 
seed  of  the  woman;"  '^  the  Word  made  flesh;"  the  Son 
of  God,  by  whom  all  things  were  created,  uniting  him- 
self to  human  nature  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that 
as  our  kinsman  and  brother,  he  might  redeem  the  for- 
feited inheritance;  and  by  suffering  in  our  room,  the  just 
for  the  unjust,  might  bring  us  to  God.  It  is  plain  that 
the  station  here  assigned  to  Christ  belongs  to  him  in  the 
character  of  Emanuel,  '^  which  is,  being  interpreted, 
God  with  us,"  or,  "God  manifested  in  the  flesh." 
VOL.  r.  2  u 


830  SERMON  XXII. 

Accordingly,  he  is  styled,  in  immediate  connexion  with 
his  head -ship,  the  first-born  from  the  dead;  which  neces- 
sarily supposes  his  previous  incarnation  and  sufferings. 
And  the  church,  which  is  here  called  Ms  body,  is  ex- 
pressly said  by  Paul,  in  the  charge  which  he  gave  to 
the  elders  of  Ephesus,  to  have  been  "  purchased  by  him 
with  his  own  blood."  Here,  my  brethren,  he  is  repre- 
sented to  us  in  such  an  endearing  relation,  as  cannot 
fail,  if  we  understand  it  aright,  to  fill  our  hearts  at  once 
with  the  highest  admiration,  the  warmest  gratitude,  and 
most  triumphant  joy.  Christ  is  said  to  be  ^'  the  head  of 
all  principality  and  power,'^  at  the  10th  verse  of  the  fol- 
lowing chapter;  but  it  is  not  added,  these  are  his  body. 
In  like  manner,  we  are  told,  (Eph.  i.  at  the  close)  that 
"  God,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead,  hath  set  him  at 
liis  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but 
also  in  that  which  is  to  come ;  and  hath  put  all  things 
under  his  feet,  and  given  him  to  be  head  over  all  things 
to  the  church."  That  is,  lie  hath  placed  him  at  the  head 
of  all  things,  and  given  him  supreme  dominion  over 
them;  so  that  the  highest  angels  are  only  ministers,  or 
servants,  in  his  kingdom,  whom  he  sends  forth  to  min- 
ister to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  But  his  relation  to  his 
church,  though  it  includes  dominion,  yet  it  carries  in  it 
a  more  close  and  intimate  connexion.  He  is  not  only 
head  over  his  church,  in  respect  of  supreme  authority, 
as  a  king  is  the  political  head  over  his  subjects;  but  he 
is  the  head  of  his  church  in  respect  of  vital  influence;  for 
so  the  Apostle  himself  explains  it  in  the  following  chap- 
ter, verse  19th;  he  is  that  head,  ^^from  which  all  the 
body  by  joints  and  bands  having  nourishment  minister- 
ed, and  knit  together,  increaseth  wiUi  the  increase  of 
God." 


SERMON  XXII.  331 

But  your  time  will  not  permit  me  to  enlarge  upon  this 
subject;  let  it  suffice  at  present  to  observe,  that  what 
Adam  was  in  the  first  creation,  that  is  Christ  in  the  new 
creation.  Hence  he  gets  the  name  of  the  second  Adam ; 
and  it  is  expressly  said  of  the  first  xidam,  (Rom.  v.  14.) 
«  that  he  was  the  figure  of  him  that  was  to  come."  I 
shall  not  pretend  to  trace, out  the  resemblance  between 
these  two  different  heads  in  all  its  extent ;  and  yet  it  is 
obvious,  that  a  great,  part  of  the  Scripture  language, 
which  is  employed  to  describe  the  nature  of  that  station 
which  Christ  holds  in  the  church,  not  only  alludes  to  this 
resemblance,  but  is  so  much  founded  upon  it,  that  with- 
out some  just  conception  of  the  figure  or  type,  our  views 
of  the  antitype  must  be  very  dark  and  imperfect. 

If  we  look  at  the  state  of  things  in  the  first  creation, 
we  shall  find  Adam  placed  in  a  station  of  the  highest 
importance.  Besides  the  dominion  that  was  given  him 
over  the  inferior  creatures,  he  was  constituted,  in  the 
most  proper  sense  of  the  word,  the  head  of  mankind,  in 
as  much  as  "  of  that  one  blood  were  to  be  made  all  the 
nations  of  men  that  should  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the 
whole  earth."  The  life  of  all  his  posterity  was  deposi- 
ted in  him.  He  was  the  root;  and  his  descendants,  in  all 
their  successive  generations,  are  the  branches  which 
grow  out  of  it.  This  is  the  plain  account  which  the 
Scriptures  give  us;  and  the  closeness  of  our  connexion 
with  the  first  Adam  is  fatally  illustrated  by  its  effects, 
whicli  cannot  escape  our  observation.  It  is  too  apparent 
that  life  is  conveyed  to  us  under  the  same  awful  for- 
feiture which  Adam  incurred;  for  in  consequence  of  the 
sentence  pronounced  against  him  on  account  of  his  trans- 
gression, "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  re- 
turn,"  we  find,  in  fact,  that  *Mt  is  appointed  unto  all 
men  once  to  die,"  and  that  ^Uhere  is  no  disclmrge  in 
that  warfare." 


aSJS  SERMON  XXII. 

This  is  the  figure  by  which  we  are  taught  to  form  our 
conceptions  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  place  he  holds  in 
that  new  creation,  which  is  here  distinguished  by  the 
names  oikis  church  and  his  body.  And  to  those  who  are 
acquainted  with  what  the  Scriptures  say  concerning 
Christ,  many  circumstances  will  occur  from  the  hints  I 
liave  already  suggested,  in  which  the  resemblance  be- 
tween the  first  and  second  Adam  may  easily  be  traced 
with  the  most  critical  exactness.  But,  blessed  be  Grod, 
there  is  one  circumstance  of  the  greatest  importance  in 
which  the  resemblance  doth  not  hold,  as  will  appear 
from  the  information  the  Apostle  gives  us  concerning  the 
third  particular  1  took  notice  of,  namely. 

Thirdly.  The  qualifications  of  our  Redeemer  for  per- 
forming what  belongs  to  him  as  the  head  of  his  church. 

It  pleased  ihe  Father ^  saith  he,  verse  19,  that  in  him 
should  aW  fulness  dwell. 

The  first  Adam  received  the  gift  of  life  from  God, 
which  he  held  in  trust  for  all  his  posterity,  upon  a 
condition  the  most  gentle  and  easy  that  can  possibly 
be  imagined ;  but  he  failed  in  the  performance  of  it ;  and 
thus  "  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  sin ;''  so  that  ever  since  that  fatal  trespass  "  deatli 
liath  passed  by  all  men." 

The  Second  Adam  received  the  grant  of  eternal  life 
for  his  church,  upon  terms  no  less  severe  than  his  obe- 
dience unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  ;  that  sin 
being  condemned  in  the  flesh,  mercy  and  truth  might 
meet  together  upon  the  apostate  race,  righteousness  and 
peace  might  embrace  each  other.  But  difficult  as  the 
terms  were,  he  not  only  punctually,  but  cheerfully,  ful- 
filled them,  insomuch  that  under  all  the  pain  and  igno- 
miny of  the  cross,  he  would  not  bow  his  head,  and  yield, 
up  the  ghost,  till,  with  a  shout  of  triumph,  he  could  say, 
•'  It  is  finished/^ 


SERMON  XXII.  338 

*'  The  first  Adam  was  made  a  living  soul ;  but  the 
second  Adam  was  made  a  quickening  spirit."  "  The 
first  man  was  of  the  earth,  earthy;  the  second  man  was 
the  Lord  from  heaven.'^ 

In  the  head  of  the  first  creation  there  dwelt  indeed  a 
fulness,  but  it  was  only  the  fulness  of  a  creature ;  where- 
as all  fulness  resides  in  the  Head  of  the  new  creation; 
or,  as  it  is  elsewhere  expressed,  in  this  same  epistle,  "  in 
him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  J^ 

Here,  my  brethren,  expression  fails  ;  an  ocean  opens 
to  our  view  that  hath  neither  bottom  nor  shore,  the  God- 
head !  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead !  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead!  How  flat,  how  unmeaning,  is  the  lan- 
guage of  men,  when  applied  to  a  subject  which  angels 
themselves  are  unable  to  comprehend?  0  glorious  con- 
stitution of  grace !  worthy  of  him  whose  name,  whose 
essence  is  love ;  and  infinitely  becoming  the  wisdom  of 
that  Sovereign,  "whose  work  is  perfect,  and  whose  ways 
are  judgment."  With  such  an  object  in  our  eye,  can  we 
refrain  from  crying  out,  "  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  him  that 
made  him ;  let  the  children  ofZion  be  joyful  in  (heir 
King?"  Well  might  Paul  say,  "  1  know  in  whom  1  have 
believed ;  and  I  am  persuaded,  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  against  that  day." 
This  is  the  endearing  peculiarity  of  the  gospel-covenant, 
that  all  the  blessings  of  it  are  secured  against  forfeiture, 
in  the  hands  of  him  who  hath  already  fulfilled  the  terms 
of  the  grant,  and  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him 
to  do :  who,  as  he  died  to  purchase  those  blessings,  so 
he  ever  liveth  to  dispense  them  :  One  who  by  nature  is 
God  as  well  as  man;  and  in  whom,  as  the  word  incar- 
nate and  Mediator  of  the  covenant,  it  hath  jileased  the 
Father  that  all  fulness  should  dwell,  for  enriching,  to 
the  utmost  capacity  of  created  beings,  all  the  members 
of  that  bodij  whereof  he  is  the  head. 


334  SERMON  XXII.    . 

But  what  are  the  blessings  of  this  well-ordered  cove- 
nant? Let  your  own  necessities  dictate  the  answer.  Say, 
my  brethren,  what  do  you  need? 

Is  it  the  pardon  of  sin?  Look  back  to  the  14th  verse 
of  this  chapter :  ''  In  Christ  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins.'* — '*  He  hath 
made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,"  as  we  read  verse 
^Oth  ;  and  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 
— "  He  was  made  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  So 
that  now  ^'  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus."  And  0  how  blessed  is  the  man  whose 
iniquities  are  forgiven,  whose  transgressions  are  covered, 
and  to  whom  the  Lord  iinputeth  not  his  sin ! 

This  is  a  great,  a  necessary  blessing;  but  great  though 
it  be,  yet  it  is  not  commensurate  to  all  the  necessities  of 
such  creatures  as  we  are.  Man,  by  the  apostacy,  is  not 
only  liable  to  condemnation,  nay,  lying  under  sentence 
of  death,  but  that  sentence  in  part  is  already  executed; 
bis  soul  is  dead,  separated  from  God,  the  fountain  of  life. 
Thus  it  is  written,  ^^  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they  are  foolishness  to 
liira :  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spir- 
itually discerned."  Nay,  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  nei- 
ther indeed  can  l)e."  Can  the  death  of  a  soul  be  express- 
ed in  stronger  and  more  significant  terms?  Must  not  that 
spirit  be  dead,  which  is  incapable  of  discerning  the  only 
objects  that  are  suited  to  its  nature,  and  of  relishing  the 
only  enjoyments  by  which  a  spiritual  being  can  subsist 
and  be  happy? 

In  this  state  every  mere  cliild  of  Adam  cometh  into 
the  world  ;  for  "  that  wliich  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh," 
and  can  rise  no  higher  by  any  means  tliat  nature  aifqrds. 


SERMON  XXII.  335 

But  as  in  the  first  Adam  all  die  without  exception,  who, 
by  the  ordinary  course  of  generation,  are  connected  with 
him  as  their  head;  so  in  the  second  Adam,  the  quicken- 
ing Spirit,  and  Lord  from  heaven,  all  who,  by  regenera- 
tion, are  united  to  him,  and  become  members  of  that  bo- 
dy whereof  he  is  the  head,  are  in  like  manner  made  alive; 
for  "  that  which  is  born  of  the  spirit  is,"  and  must  be, 
^^  spirit."  Accordingly,  Christ  is  styled  the  Prince  of 
Life;  not  only  the  possessor  of  life,  but  the  proprietor 
and  dispenser  of  it.  To  him  it  belongs  to  raise  the  dead, 
and  to  quicken  whom  he  will.  Hear  his  own  words, 
(John  V.  25,  2t).)  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The 
hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live.  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself;  so  hath  he 
given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself."  And  in  this 
same  epistle  where  my  text  lies,  Christ  is  expressly 
styled  our  life;  and  the  life  of  the  believer  is  said  to  be 
hid,  or  treasured  up,  tvith  Christ  in  God.  Colossians 
iii,  3,  4.  "Ye  are  dead,"  saith  the  Apostle;  dead  to 
Adam,  and  the  corrupted,  perishing  life  you  derived 
from  him ;  dead  to  a  present  world,  and  the  things  on 
earth,  which  are  no  longer  the  objects  of  your  affection. 
Thus  are  ye  dead ;  but  being  raised  with  Christ  to  the 
things  that  are  above,  to  a  new  life,  and  manner  of  liv- 
ing, "your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God;  and  when  he 
who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear 
with  him  in  glory." 

Here  we  arc  again  led  into  a  subject  to  which  no  lan- 
guage is  adequate,  but  such  "  unspeakable  words"  as 
Paul  heard  in  paradise,  "  which  it  is  not  lawful  for  man 
to  utter." 

Sliould  I  attempt  to  enlarge  upon  it,  I  am  afraid  that 
I  should  only  "darken  counsel  by  words  without  know- 


336  SERMON  XXII. 

ledge."  What  hath  already  been  said  upon  i\\Ai  fulveas 
which  dwelleth  in  Christ,  may  suffice  to  convince  you 
that  "  his  riches  are  unsearchable,"  and  tliat  nothing  is 
wanting  which  sinners  can  either  need  or  wish  to  pos- 
sess.  In  him,  as  you  have  lieard,  they  have  both  righte- 
ousness and  strength :  Highteousness  for  the  guilty,  com- 
plete and  everlasting  righteousness ;  for  "  by  him  all  who 
believe  are  justified  from  all  things:" — And  strength  for 
the  weak,  nay,  life  for  the  dead;  with  this  peculiar  ad- 
vantage, that  it  is  not  left  to  their  own  keeping,  but  still 
resides  in  him  who  is  the  head  of  the  body,  and  is  im- 
parted to  them  as  his  members,  by  that  Spirit  which  is 
the  indissoluble  bond  of  their  union;  ''for  he  that  is 
joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit."  Accordingly  he  says, 
"  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  And  this  was  the 
foundation  of  that  parting  promise  to  his  disciples,  *^I 
go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you ;  and  if  I  go  and  prepare 
a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto 
myself,  that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also."  This 
would  lead  me  to  speak  of  that  high  perfection  at  which 
the  life  they  at  present  receive  from  him  shall  arrive  in 
the  heavenly  world,  when  the  body  itself,  which,  by  an 
irreversible  decree,  is  condemned  to  return  to  the  dust 
as  it  was,  shall  be  raised  again  by  the  power  and  spirit 
of  the  Redeemer,  and  fashioned  like  unto  his  own  glo- 
rious body,  in  that  day  when  he,  who  once  suffered  to 
bear  their  sins,  "  shall  appear  the  second  time  without 
sin  unto  salvation." 

But  I  must  not  detain  you  any  longer  from  the  pro- 
per business  of  the  day. 

I  have  done  what  I  could  to  render  Christ  precious 
to  your  souls :  I  have  led  you  to  view  him  in  his  essen- 
tinl  dignity,  as  the  Creator  of  all  things;  in  his  relation 
to  believers,  as  the  head  of  the  body ;  and  as  possessing 
all  fulness  in  that  important  character. 


SERMON  XXII.  337 

And  here  I  would  gladly  expostulate  with  those  to 
whom  these  things  of  the  Spirit  I  have  been  talking  of 
appear  foolishness,  and  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world 
hath  so  far  blinded  their  minds,  that  they  see  no  beauty 
in  this  Saviour  for  which  they  should  desire  him.  O  that 
the  hour  miglit  now  come,  in  which  every  dead  soul  in 
this  assembly  should  "  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  live."  May  he  who  at  first  commanded  the  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,  while  we  speak  in  his  name,  shine 
into  their  hearts,  to  give  them  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  his  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  in  this  glass, 
beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  God  of  love, 
their  darkness  may  be  dispelled,  their  enmity  subdued, 
and  they  be  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to 
glory,  by  his  all-conquering  Spirit. 

But  my  chief  concern  at  present  is  with  the  living 
members  of  Christ:  For  you  a  table  is  once  more  cov- 
ered in  the  wilderness,  for  strengthening  you  to  proceed 
in  your  journey  to  the  Canaan  that  is  above.  This  is 
one  of  the  channels  which  your  living  head  hath  ap- 
pointed for  conveying  his  life  to  the  members  of  his  bo- 
dy. The  ordinance  itself  affords  you  the  strongest  ground 
of  hope :  it  is  a  representation  of  that  sacrifice  which 
Christ  offered  upon  the  cross :  and  he  who  loved  you  so 
well  as  to  give  his  life  for  you,  is  certainly  willing  to 
impart  life  to  you.  "  If  while  ye  were  enemies,  ye  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son ;  much  more, 
being  reconciled,  you  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  Let 
not  the  sense  of  your  unworthiness  discourage  you : — 
You  come  not  here  to  give,  but  to  take  what  is  given. 
Nay,  let  me  tell  you,  that  the  sense  of  your  own  empti- 
ness is  the  very  measure  of  your  capacity  for  receiving 
his  fulness :  ^*  He  fiUeth  tlie  hungry  with  good  things, 
but  the  rich,"  those  who  account  themselves  rich,  "  lie 

VOL.  I.  3  s 


388  SERMON  XXIII. 

sendeth  empty  away."  Corae  therefore  with  longing  de- 
sires, and  enlarged  hopes,  to  him  who  is  full  of  grace 
and  of  truth,  that  out  of  his  fulness  you  may  this  day 
receive  grace  for  grace,  to  the  glory  of  the  giver,  and  to 
your  own  present  and  everlasting  joy.  *lmen. 


2  CoRiN.  viii.  9. 

Ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
jioor,  that  ye  through  his  'poverty  might  he  rich. 


X  HESE  words  contain  an  accurate  description  of  the 
grace,  or  free  favour,  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which 
all  true  believers  are  here  said  to  know;  i.  e.  they  have 
not  only  heard  tlie  report  of  this  grace,  assented  to  the 
truth  of  the  report,  and  are  able  to  give  some  account  of 
it  to  others ;  but  they  know  it  experimentally,  having 
tasted  its  sweetness,  and  felt  the  power  of  it  in  their  own 
hearts. 

Several  particulars  are  mentioned  by  the  Apostle  in 
proof  and  commendation  of  the  grace  he  celebrates, 
which  I  propose  to  illustrate  in  the  following  discourse. 
I.  The  first  in  order  is  the  state  of  the  Redeemer  pre- 
vious to  his  becoming  poor.  He  was  rich,  but  how  rich 
no  language  can  express,  nor  any  mind  but  his  own  con- 
ceive. "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 
was  ^Vith  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same  was 


SERMON  XXIII.  339 

in  the  beginning  with  GoJ.  All  things  were  made  by 
him ;  and  without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was 
made ;"  John  i.  1,  2,  3.  It  is  expressly  said  of  him, 
(Coloss.  i.  16,  17.)  "  that  by  him  all  things  were  cre- 
ated that  are  in  heaven  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and 
invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  prin- 
cipalities, or  powers:  all  things- were  a-eated  by  him, 
and  for  him.  And  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him 
all  things  consist."  The  same  representation  is  given  of 
him  by  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  who  styles  him 
"  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person;  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all 
things ;  by  whom  also  he  made  the  world ;  and  who  up- 
holdeth  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power." 

We  esteem  a  man  rich,  who,  besides  what  is  necessa- 
ry for  the  supply  of  his  own  wants,  hath  wherewithal  to 
relieve  the  necessities  of  others ;  but  how  rich  must  he 
be,  who  hatn  no  wants  to  be  supplied,  and  is  at  the 
same  time  possessed  of  such  intlnite  treasures,  that  they 
can  never  be  exhausted,  nor  in  the  least  degree  dimin- 
ished, by  being  imparted  toothers!  Nay,  besides  whom 
nothing  exists,  but  what  derived  its  being  from  him,  and 
is  necessarily  dependant  upon  him,  for  all  that  it  hath, 
or  hopes  to  enjoy !  Yet  thus  rich  was  he  of  whom  the 
Apostle  speaks  in  my  text. 

11.  The  second  thing  to  be  considered,  is  the  jjoverty 
to  which  he  voluntarily  submitted.  The  apostle  Joha 
having  introduced  the  history  of  our  Saviour  with  that 
lofty  description  of  his  original  and  essential  glory  which 
I  formerly  quoted,  makes  a  sudden  transition,  (verse  14.) 
and  informs  us,  how  he  who  was  rich  became  poor,  viz. 
by  uniting  himself  to  the  human  nature,  and  appearing 
in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh.  "  The  Word,"  says  he, 
that  same  Word  which  in  the  beginning  was  with  God,  p^ 


340  SERMON  XXIII. 

and  was  God,  by  whom  all  things  were  made  5   this 
"  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us." 

Nothing  can  be  more  descriptive  of  the  most  abject 
poverty  than  the  simple  account  we  have  of  his  birth, 
(Luke  ii.)  at  the  beginning ;  where,  after  being  told,  that, 
in  consequence  of  a  decree  from  the  Roman  emperor, 
Joseph  went  up  from  Nazareth  unto  Bethlehem,  to  be 
taxed  with  Mary,  his  espoused  wife,  who  was  great 
with  child,  ttie  sacred  historian  thus  proceeds,  (ver.  6, 
7.)  ^^  And  so  it  was,  that  while  they  were  there,  the 
days  were  accomplished  that  she  should  be  delivered. 
And  she  brought  forth  her  first-born  son,  and  wr.tpped 
him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a  manger, 
because  there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn."  Nor 
did  his  after  life  wear  a  diiferent  complexion  from  his 
birth :  The  same  poverty,  with  respect  to  outward  ac- 
commodation, which  clouded  his  entrance  into  the  world, 
accompanied  him  through  every  stage  of  his  laliorious 
journey,  till  at  Calvary  he  finished  his  course  upon 
the  cross;  insomuch  that  he  could  say,  at  the  very 
time  when  his  public  ministry  was  most  frequented  and 
applauded,  ^^  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the 
air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay 
bis  head."  But  this  was  not  the  only,  nor  even  the 
worst  kind  of  poverty,  to  which  he  voluntarily  submit- 
ted. *'  He  made  himself,"  that  is,  he  consented  to  be 
made,  "  of  no  reputation."  For  though  multitudes  occa- 
sionally admired  and  applauded  him,  yet  these  were 
generally  persons  in  tiie  lowest  ranks  of  life.  The  rich, 
the  learned,  and  the  powerful,  among  the  Jews,  were 
statedly  combined  to  distress  him  on  every  side.  They 
practised  every  art  to  defame  his  character,  and  to  ren- 
der both  his  person  and  l»is  ministry  the  objects  of  pop- 
ular contempt  and  hatred;  till  at  length  they  were  per- 


SERMON  XXIII.  341 

mitted  to  prevail  so  far,  as  to  get  liim  condemned  by  a 
sentence  of  the  supreme  court  of  their  own  nation, 
and  then  adjudiijed  by  the  Roman  governor  to  tlie  death 
of  a  slave  ;  which  was  executed  with  every  circumstance 
of  indignity  and  torture  that  the  most  inventive  malice 
and  cruelty  could  devise.  Thus  jpoor  did  our  Lord  he- 
come;  not  by  constraint,  or  the  hand  of  violence,  for 
that  was  impossible;  but  of  his  own  free  choice  ;  as  it  is 
written,  (Philip,  ii.  6,  7,  8.)  "  He  who  was  in  the  form  of 
God  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God, 
made  himscJf  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form 
of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  :  And 
being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself, 
and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross." 

III.  But  for  whose  sake  did  he  thus  become  poor? 
This  is  the  third  particular  mentioned  in  the  text ;  which 
manifests  and  commends  the  riches  of  his  grace.  It  was 
for  us  the  children  of  men,  creatures  but  of  yesterday, 
whose  foundation  is  in  the  dust.  We  are  indeed  poor  in 
every  sense  of  the  expression.  Our  life  is  the  gift  of 
another,  and  wholly  dependant  upon  His  sovereign  plea- 
sure. All  the  materials  for  supporting  it  lie  without  our- 
selves; we  must  go  abroad  in  quest  of  them;  and  the 
same  hand  that  provides  them,  can  either  withdraw 
them,  or  put  them  beyond  our  reach,  or  withhold  that 
blessing  which  alone  can  render  them  eff'ectual  for  the 
sustenance  of  that  precarious  life  we  possess :  "  If  he 
hideth  Ids  face,  we  are  troubled  ;  if  he  taketh  away  our 
breath,  we  die." 

Thus  poor  we  all  are,  and  necessarily  must  be,  as 
creatures  :  but  when  I  add  that  we  are  sinners,  poiierty 
is  too  feeble  a  word  to  convey  the  faintest  idea  of  our 
forlorn  condition.  A  person  may  be  poor,  and  yet  owe 


343  SERMON  XXIIl. 

nothing  to  any  man :  but  sin  is  not  merely  want ;  it  is 
positively  debt.  Again,  a  man  who  is  both  poor  and  in 
debt,  may  be  healthy  and  strong;  so  that  by  diligence 
and  hard  labour,  he  may  not  only  procure  the  necessa- 
ries of  life,  but  even  be  able  in  time  to  do  justice  to  his 
creditors;  but  sin  is  disease  as  well  as  debt;  it  is  the 
sickness  of  the  soul,  which  wastes  its  strength,  and  ren- 
ders it  incapable  of  doing,  nay,  disinclined  to  attempt, 
any  thing  for  the  recovery  of  its  health  and  vigour. 
Once  more,  the  most  insolvent  debtor  may,  by  flight, 
get  beyond  the  reach  of  his  creditor  :  but  to  what  place 
can  a  sinner  flee  where  God  is  not  present?  whose  es- 
sential goodness  is  <he  irreconcilable  enemy  of  sin,  and 
only  clothes  itself  with  justice  to  condemn  and  punish  it. 
In  short,  our  Lord's  description  of  the  Laodiceans, 
"  wretched,  miserable,  poor,  blind,  and  naked,"  is  the 
picture  of  every  child  of  Adam  in  his  natural  state,  with 
the  same  fatal  inscription  written  over  his  head,  "  He 
knoweth  it  not."  And  did  he  who  was  rich ;  he  whom  we 
had  offended  ;  he  who  stood  in  no  need  of  us;  he  who 
passed  by  creatures  of  a  superior  order,  leaving  them  to 
inherit  the  misery  they  had  chosen,  and,  in  our  punish- 
ment, as  well  as  in  theirs,  might  have  displayed  and 
glorified  the  perfection  of  his  own  nature ; — did  he,  I 
say ^  for  our  sakes  become  poorP  How  astonishing  this 
grace! — how  impossible  to  be  credited,  if  he  himself 
had  not  declared  it. 

IV.  Let  us  now  inquire,  in  the  fourth  place,  for 
what  end  was  it  that  he  did  this? 

It  would  justly  have  been  deemed  an  act  of  uncom- 
mon generosity,  had  he  simply  discharged  the  debt  we 
were  unable  to  pay,  that,  being  relieved  of  that  burden, 
we  might  be  at  liberty  to  earn  a  scanty  subsistence  by 
our  future   labour  and  industry.  It  would  have  been  a 


SERMON  XXIII.  S'iS 

higher  act  of  generosity,  to  raise  us  at  once  above  pov- 
erty, and  the  fear  of  want,  by  supplying  us  from  his  own 
stores  with  the  necessaries  of  life  "  feeding  us,"  as  Au- 
gur expressed  his  wish,  '*  with  food  convenient  for  us." 
But  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jpsus  Christ  proposed  an 
end  still  higher  than  this:  He  became  poor,  saith  the 
Apostle,  "  that  we  might  be  rich  ,•"  that  is,  possessed 
of  every  thing  that  could  render  us  completely  happy. 
Here  it  is  that  grace  shines  forth  in  its  sweetest  and  most 
transcendent  glory.  But  how  shall  we  describe  what 
*^  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive?''  The  best  as- 
sistance I  can  give  you,  is  to  select  from  Scripture  a  few 
of  those  passages  that  speak  of  the  riclies  which  Christ 
doth  at  present  confer  upon  his  people ;  and  then  leave 
your  own  minds  to  imagine  how  immense  their  final 
portion  must  be,  when  Christ  shall  come  again  to  com- 
plete their  salvation, 

"  In  him  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace; 
for  by  him  all  who  believe  are  justified  from  all  things." 
With  pardon,  which  is  the  introductory  blessing  of  the 
covenant,  "  peace  with  God"  is  inseparably  connect- 
ed; for  "  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  In  consequence 
whereof,  believers  are  received  into  the  house  and  fami- 
ly of  God ;  not  as  servants,  but  as  children :  for  "to  as 
many  as  receive  Christ,  to  them  gives  he  power  to  be- 
come the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  in  his 
name."  *'  Behold,"  said  the  apostle  John,  "  what  man- 
ner of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we 
should  be  called  the  sons  of  God."  Nor  is  this  a  mere 
title  of  honour ;  believers  have  not  only  the  name,  but 
the  nature  of  children.    Accordingly  they  are  said,  by 


34*  SERMON  XXIII. 

another  Apostle,  to  be  "  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.'' 
Christ  dwells  in  them  by  his  Spirit,  in  such  a  manner, 
that  it  is  not  so  much  they  that  live,  as  it  is  "  Christ 
that  liveth  in  them/''  Once  more,  as  they  have  the  name 
and  nature  of  children,  so  likewise  the  portion  that  is 
connected  with  that  relation;  for,  as  Paul  reasons,  (Ro- 
mans viii.  17.)  "If  children,  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God, 
and  joint  heirs  with  Christ."  And  what  is  their  por- 
tion? It  is  styled  eternal  life;  "a  treasure  in  the  hea- 
vens that  faileth  not ;" — "  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be 
moved;" — an  inlieritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled, 
that  fadeth  not  away." 

These  few  quotations,  which  will  be  familiar  to  the 
ears  of  all  who  are  conversant  with  the  holy  Scriptures, 
may  serve  to  give  us  some  notion  of  the  riches  which 
Christ  doth  impart  to  his  people.  I  shall  therefore  con- 
clude this  head  with  two  noted  passages  recorded  in  the 
preceding  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  which  describe  the 
provision  that  is  made  for  believers  in  Christ,  in  terms 
more  expressive  thap  many  volumes  would  suffice  fully 
to  unfold.  The  one  is  chap.  i.  30.  "  Of  him  are  ye  in 
Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sancdfication,  and  redemption."  The 
other  is  chap.  iii.  21.  et  seq.  ^'  Ml  things  are  yours; 
whether  Paul,  or  ApoUos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or 
life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come ;  all 
are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's;  and  Christ  is  God's." 

V.  The.  fifth  and  last  thing  in  the  text  that  remains 
to  be  illustrated,  is  the  connexion  betwixt  the  poverty  of 
Christ  and  the  riches  of  his  people,  or  the  influence  that 
the  one  hath  upon  the  other :  "  He  became  poor,  that  we 
fhroiigh  his  poverty  might  be  rich." 

This  connexion  will  appear,  if  we  consider  that  his 
voluntary  humiliation^  in  taking  upon  him  our  low  na- 


SERMON  XXIII.  a45 

ture,  fulfilling  all  righteousness,  and  giving  himself  for 
us,  an  oifering  and  sacrifice  to  God,  hath  so  magnified 
the  law,  which  we  had  broken,  and  given  such  full  satis- 
faction to  the  justice  of  the  lawgiver,  tliat  a  way  is  now 
opened  for  the  free  and  honourable  exercise  of  mercy  to 
the  most  guilty  and  polluted  of  the  posterity  of  Adam. 
Hereby  "  sin  was  condemned  in  the  flesh,"^^  that  is,  in 
the  same  nature  that  had  offended :  And  God,  by  '•  set- 
ting forth  his  own  Son,  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
in  his  blood,"  doth  now  manifest  his  righteousness,  no 
less  than  his  mercy,  in  the  forgiveness  of  sin;  and  ap- 
pears to  all  his  intelligent  creatures  to  be  infinitely  Jusf, 
as  well  as  infinitely  gracious,  when  he  justifies  those 
that  believe  in  Jesus.  The  Son  of  God  "was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities :" 
"  He  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  upon  the  cross:'' 
So  that  *^  now  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are 
in  Christ  Jesus ;"  for,  as  the  Apostle  reasons,  (Rom. 
viii.  33,  34.)  "  ^\(ho  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge 
of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  juslifieth.  Who  is  he  that 
condemneth?  Is  it  Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

And  as  the  death  or  sacrifice  of  Christ  absolves  all 
that  believe  on  him  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  which,  as  I 
formerly  observed,  is  the  fundamental  and  introductory 
blessing  of  the  covenant;  so  his  exultation,  which  is  the 
reward  of  his  'poverty,  or  voluntary  humiliation,  qualifies 
him  to  confer  upon  them  all  those  consequent  blessings 
which  enrich  them  in  time,  and  shall  complete  their  hap- 
piness in  the  eternal  world.  Thus  it  is  written,  (Philip 
ii.  8,  &c.)  that  because  "  Christ  humbled  himself,  and 
became   obedient  unto   death,  even  the   death  of  th 

cross ;"  therefore  **  God  also  hath  liighly  exalted  him 
VOL.  I.  St 


31,(5  SERMON  XXIII. 

and  given  him  a  name  vvliicli  is  above  every  name ;  that 
at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things 
in  heaven,  and  things  in  eartli,  and  things  under  the 
earth ;  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  thai  Jesus 
Clirist  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.'^  And 
to  the  same  purpose  we  read,  (Epli.  i.  ^i.  et  seq.)  that 
*^  AYhen  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  he  set  him  at 
his  ow  n  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but 
also  in  that  which  is  to  come;  and  put  all  things  under 
his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to 
the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that 
filleth  all  in  all."  When  Christ  ascended  up  on  high, 
leading  captivity  captive,  he  then  received  gifts  for  men, 
even  for  the  rebellious,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell 
among  them.  And  now  all  power  is  committed  to  him, 
both  in  heaven  and  on  earth :  He  not  only  appears  in 
the  presence  of  God  as  our  great  High-Priest,  to  plead 
the  merit  of  his  sacrifice,  and  to  bless  his  people;  but  he 
sits  at  the  Father's  right  hand,  enthroned  in  glory,  as 
^'  the  JCing  whom  God  hath  set  upon  his  holy  hill  of  Zi- 
on ;"'  from  whence  he  sends  forth  his  angels  as  "  minis- 
tering spirits,"  to  minister  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  dur- 
ing their  continuance  in  this  house  of  their  pilgrimage, 
till  they  arrive  at  his  Father's  house  in  heaven,  where 
they  shall  be  advanced  to  sit  with  him  upon  his  throne, 
and  possess  fulness  of  joy,  and  pleasures  for  evermore. 

AisD  now,  my  dear  brethren,  in  the  review  of  these 
five  particulars,  to  which  the  Apostle  directs  our  atten- 
tion in  proof  and  commendation  of  the  grace  wliich  lie 
celebrates,  wliat  improvement  doth  it  become  us  to  make 
of  the  subject? 

Doth  not  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  call  for 


SERMON  XXIII.  34,7 

our  humble  and  thtinkful  admiration?  The  original  and 
essential  inches  of  the  Redeemer,  the  imverty  to  which 
he  voluntarily  submitted,  the  character  of  those/or  ztJ^ose 
sake  he  became  poor,  the  riches  he  imparts  unto  them, 
and  the  means  by  which  he  doth  it;  are  all  so  wonderful 
when  separately  considered,  and  kindle  such  a  blaze  of 
glory  when  combined  and  brought  together,  that  angels 
themselves  are  dazzled  with  its  splendour;  and,  through 
all  eternity,  will  contemplate,  with  increasing  wonder 
and  delight,  what  neither  they,  nor  we,  shall  ever  be 
able  fully  to  comprehend. 

Yon  must  further  be  sensible,  that  this  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  doth  likewise  invite,  and  should  even 
constrain,  our  imitation.  It  was  for  this  purpose  that  the 
Apostle  introduced  it  into  the  subject  with  which  my 
text  is  immediately  connected.  He  is  recommending  love 
to  the  brethren,  and  in  particular  that  instance  of  charity 
which  consisleth  in  supplying  the  wants  of  the  poor;  and 
the  argument  or  motive  with  which  he  presseth  his  ex- 
hortation, is  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  irho^ 
though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  their  sake  became  jwor,  that 
they  through  his  iJoverty  might  be  rich.  And  here,  did 
your  time  permit,  I  might  take  occasion  to  show,  that  the 
gospel  of  Christ  is  so  far  from  relaxing  the  obligations 
of  those  who  receive  it,  to  the  practice  of  sDcial  duties, 
that,  on  the  contrary,  it  strenghens  these  obligations,  and 
carries  the  duties  themselves  to  a  sublimer  height  of  self- 
denial,  than  the  most  refined  moralist  ever  thought  of,  or 
perhaps  would  choose  to  adopt  for  the  measure  of  his 
own  conduct.  1  need  only  quote  one  passage  of  Scripture 
in  proof  of  what  I  have  said,  where  love  to  the  brethren 
appears  plainly  to  be  raised  by  gospel-grace  even  above 
the  standard  of  the  original  law  itself.  The  laic  saith, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  But  what 


348  SERMON  XXIII. 

saith  the  gospel?  You  may  read  it,  (I  John  iii.  16.) 
*^  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid 
down  his  life  for  us."  To  which  it  is  immediately  add- 
ed, as  a  practical  inference,  ^'  We  ought,^'  The  expres- 
sion is  emphatical,  and  imports,  that  it  is  not  left  to  our 
clioice,  but  is  strictly  due  as  a  debt;  ^'  We  ought  to  lay 
down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  Such  is  the  love  that 
the  gospel  recommends.  From  whence  it  appears,  that 
the  purrs  and  most  sublime  morality  ilows  from  faith  in 
Christ  as  its  native  source,  and  will  rise  in  exact  propor- 
tion to  the  kno\vledi;e  of  his  grace. 

But  do  we  knoiD  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 
This  question  demands  a  serious  and  deliberate  answer. 

It  is  too  evi^lent,  tliat  many  who  bear  the  title  of  Chris- 
tians are  grossly  ignorant  even  of  t!ie  doctrines  of  grace, 
and  need  to  be  taught  ^^  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles 
of  God."  But  besides  these,  we  have  just  cause  to  fear, 
that  not  a  few  are  to  be  found  among  us,  who,  though 
they  have  acquired  a  theory  of  Christian  doctrine,  and 
can  talk  of  the  great  truths  of  the  gospel  with  propriety 
and  fluency;  yet  they  cannot  be  said  to  know  that  grace 
whereof  they  are  able  to  discourse  to  others. 

The  knowledge  which  the  Apostle  speaks  of,  is  dif- 
ferent from  that  which  may  be  acquired  by  study,  or 
mere  human  instruction.  It  is  of  a  kind  altogether  pe- 
culiar to  the  real  saint :  It  is  produced  by  the  Spirit  ac- 
companying the  word,  taking  of  the  things  of  Christ, 
and  not  only  showing  them  unto  him,  but  writing  them 
upon  the  "  fleshly  tables  of  his  heart,"  and  thereby 
trans'brming  him  into  the  divine  image.  Let  me  then 
ask  you,  or  rather  let  me  entreat  you  to  ask  your  own 
hearts,  as  in  the  presence  of  God,  Whether  or  not  you 
ever  were  convinced  of  your  need  of  this  grace,  your  ab- 
solute need  of  it,  to  save  you  from  the  wrath  to  come? 


SERMON  XXIII.  349 

Did  you  ever  see  yourselves,  by  the  light  of  God's  word, 
to  be  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  aud  blind,  and 
naked ;  under  a  righteous  sentence  of  condemnation,  and 
unable,  as  of  yourselves,  to  do  any  thing  that  could  be 
effectual  for  your  own  recovery? — Under  this  convic- 
tion of  your  lost  and  helpless  estate  by  nature,  were 
your  eyes  opened  to  see  the  necessity  and  suitableness 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  perfection  of  that  sacrifice 
which  he  offered  up  to  the  Father;  together  with  his 
ability  and  willingness  '•  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him?"  Animated  by  these  spi- 
ritual discoveries  of  the  Saviour,  encouraged  by  his 
kind  invitation  to  come  to  him,  and  constrained  by  the 
Father's  command  to  believe  on  his  name,  did  you  hum- 
bly and  thankfully  receive  him  as  the  "  unspeakable 
gift"  of  God  to  men?  saying  with  the  apostle  Paul, 
**  What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  lost 
for  Christ.  Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Je- 
sus ray  Lord  :  And  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  1  may 
win  Christ,  aud  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  wiiich  is  by 
the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness,  which  is  of  God 
by  faith."  Was  this  acceptance  entire  and  unreserved; 
did  your  heart  consent  that  he  should  he  made  of  God 
unto  you,  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification, 
and  redemption ;  your  prophet  to  instruct  you,  and  your 
king  to  rule  over  you,  as  well  as  your  priest  to  justify 
you  by  his  blood  ?  Have  you  relished,  or  do  you  now 
relish,  the  sweetness  of  his  grace?  Above  all,  let  me  ask 
you,  have  you  felt  its  power  and  influence  upon  your 
temper  and  practice?  The  grace  of  the  gospel  is  not  only 
the  parent  of  peace  and  joy,  but  an  effectual  principle 
of  holiness  in  all  who  partake  of  it.  Tliis  was  the  doc- 


350  8EKM0N  XXIII. 

trine  which  Paul  delivered  to  Titus,  (Tit.  ii.  11.  et  seq.) 
^  The  grace  of  God  whicli  biingeth  salvation,  teacheth 
us,  that  denying  ungodliness,  and  worldly  lusts,  we 
should  live  soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this 
present  world."  This  is  not  only  the  most  satisfying 
evidence,  that  we  knoio  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  so  essential  an  evidence,  tliat  where  it  is 
wanting,  I  can  read  nothing  in  the  whole  book  of  God 
to  supply  the  defect,  or  that  can  be  substituted  in  the 
place  of  it.  I  read  of  a  dead  faith, — a  presumptuous 
hope, — a  false  peace, — and  a  name  to  live;  but  all  these 
are  refuges  of  lies,  which  ere  long  shall  be  '^  swept'' 
away  "  with  the  besom  of  destruction."  Whereas  the 
true  faith  of  the  gospel  is  every  where  represented,  as 
'^  working  by  love,"  and  "  overcoming  the  world." 
The  hope  of  the  gospel  incites  all  who  are  possessed  of 
it,  "  to  purify  themselves,  even  as  he"  whom  they  hope 
to  enjoy  "  is  pure." — "  The  peace  of  God  which  pass- 
eth  all  understanding,  keeps,"  or  guards  "  the  heart 
and  mind,"  and  fortifies  the  believer  against  the  fierce 
assaults  of  his  spiritual  enemies.  And  it  is  the  distin- 
guishing privilege  of  those  who  "  are  not  under  the  law, 
but  under  grace,"  that  "sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
over  them  :"  '''They  have  put  off  the  old  man  with  his 
deed,  and  have  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness."  They  show, 
that  they  live  in  the  Spirit,  by  walking  in  tlie  Spirit ; 
and  give  proof  that  they  are  "  risen  with  Christ,"  and 
"  know  him  in  the  power  of  his  resurrection,"  by 
^^  seeking  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  These  are  the  words 
of  truth ;  they  are  pure  words,  like  silver  tried  in  a  fur- 
nace of  earth,  and  puritied  seven  times.  And  they  are 
written  in  such  capital  letters,  and  expressed  with  such 


SERMON  XXIII.  351 

plainness  anil  precision,  that  no  sophistry  can  either 
darken  their  meaning  or  impair  their  force ;  unless  it  be 
to  those  unstable  souls  who  are  "  ever  learning,  but 
never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  trutli;" 
*^  who  like  children  are  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried 
about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  slight  of  men 
and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive.'' 1  therefore  repeat  upon  this  occasion,  what  I 
have  often  inculcated,  and  the  Scriptures  of  truth  uni- 
formly teach,  that  the  gospel-salvation  is  a  present  sal- 
vation ;  and  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  a 
deliverer  from  '*  wrath  to  come,"  but  that,  in  the  mean 
time,  he  saves  all  who  trust  in  him,  from  that  sin  which 
renders  them  obnoxious  to  wrath;  iirst,  by  expiating  the 
guilt  of  it  by  his  death,  and  next,  by  breaking  the  pow- 
er of  it  in  their  hearts,  through  the  operation  of  that 
Spirit  which  is  the  seal  of  their  adoption,  the  earnest 
and  first-fruits  of  their  future  inheritance. 

These  are  the  particulars  upon  which  I  would  have 
you  to  examine  yourselves  impartially,  as  those  who  ex- 
pect a  judgment  to  come.  Some  of  them  are  so  essential 
to  the  character  of  a  Christian,  that  every  one  who  tru- 
ly believeth  in  Christ,  must  have  a  consciousness  of  them 
in  his  own  mind ;  for  none  was  ever  born  into  the  fami- 
ly of  God,  without  such  a  conviction  of  guilt,  pollution, 
and  weakness,  as  rendered  the  Redeemer  both  necessa- 
ry and  precious  in  his  esteem.  And  though  the  enligiit- 
ened  mind  will  discover  much  imperfection,  and  many 
humbling  blemishes,  even  in  the  fairest  of  those  fruits 
which  are  the  product  of  true  and  saving  faith;  yet  (un- 
less it  be  in  those  who  are  but  newly  entered  into  the 
school  of  Chris^t)  the  effects  of  his  teaching  must,  in  some 
degree,  ajipear  in  such  gracious  fruits  as  I  just  now  men- 
tioned. And  I  should  betray  the  trust  committed  to  mc. 


352  SERMON  XXIII. 

anrl  reproach  that  grace  I  profess  to  magnify,  if  I  en- 
couraged any  to  conclude,  that  they  are  savingly  ac- 
quainted with  it,  whose  temper  and  practice  have  un- 
dergone no  change,  whatever  pretensions  they  may 
make  to  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  and  confident  assurance 
of  their  final  salvation  ;  for  all  the  saved  of  the  Lord  are 
expressly  denominated  "  God^s  workmanship,  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  be- 
fore ordained  that  they  should  walk  in  them."  And  it 
will  remain  an  invariable  truth,  to  the  confusion  of  all 
vain  boasting  hypocrites,  that  "  whom  God  did  foreknow, 
he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among  many 
brethren." 

But  my  chief  business  at  present  is  with  those  who 
knoic  by  experience  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
having  both  tasted  its  sweetness,  and  felt  the  power  of 
it  in  their  own  hearts.  To  such  I  shall  address  a  few 
short  exhortations,  and  then  proceed  to  the  service  for 
which  we  are  assembled. 

ist.  Give  glory  to  God  for  what  you  know  of  his 
grace;  and  humbly  acknowledge  that  it  was  he,  and  he 
only,  who  opened  your  eyes,  and  turned  you  from  dark- 
ness to  light.  Who  made  you  to  differ  from  others?  The 
proper  answer  to  this  question  is  to  be  found  in  the  4th 
chapter  of  this  epistle,  (verse  6.)  "God,  who  at  first 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  into  your  hearts,  to  give  you  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  his  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Not  unto  yourselves  then,  not  unto  yourselves,  but  to 
his  free,  distinguishing  favour,  is  all  the  glory  due. 

2dh/.  Let  this  morning-dawn  encourage  you  to  hope 
for  the  perfect  day.  Christ  would  never  have  pmptied 
himself,  and  become  poor,  without  the  most  absolute  as- 


SERMON  XXIII.  353 

surance,  that  some  were  to  be  enriched  by  hira:  and 
where  he  begins  a  good  work,  this  may,  and  ought  to 
be,  considered  as  a  certain  pledge,  that  he  will  carry  it 
forward  to  its  full  ptM-fection;  for  he  "who is  the  author" 
is  also  "  the  finisher  of  his  people's  faith."  Rejoice, 
therefore,  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  And  till  you  are 
brought  to  the  possession  of  it  be  careful,  in  the 

Sd  place,  To  use  all  the  means  he  hath  appointed  for 
obtaining  larger  measures  of  his  grace,  both  in  respect 
of  knowledge  and  of  influence.  Among  these  means,  the 
holy  sacrament  of  our  Lord's  supper  holds  the  most  dis- 
tinguished rank,  as  it  was  instituted  for  this  very  pur- 
pose,  to  exhibit  a  sensible  representation  of  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  becoming  poor  for  our  sake, 
that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich.  Here  we  not 
only  behold  him  in  his  lowest  state  of  voluntary  humili- 
ation, evidently  set  forth  as  crucified  before  our  eyes;  but 
likewise  presenting  to  us,  and  by  visible  symbols  confer- 
ring upon  us,  all  those  unsearchable  riches  which  he 
purchased  with  his  blood,  and  secures  by  his  interces- 
sion; which  he  actually  possesseth  as  the  "  head  of  the 
church,  which  is  his  body;"  and  conveys,  by  his  Spirit, 
to  every  member  in  due  season,  and  measure,  as  their 
several  necessities  and  circumstances  require.  Let  us 
then  approach  the  table  of  the  Lord  with  faith,  and  love, 
and  thankful  praise ;  and  while  we  bless  him  for  the 
grace  he  hath  already  made  known  to  us,  let  us  pray 
for  such  furtlier  discoveries  as  may  strengthen  and  com- 
fort us  in  what  remains  of  our  journey  through  this  wil- 
derness,  till  we  arrive  at  those  blessed  abodes  of  perfect 
light,  and  love,  and  purity,  where  we  shall  see  him  as 
he  is,  without  the  intervention  of  ordinances,  and  enjoy 
him  fully,  without  interruption  and  without  end.  Amen. 

VOL.  r:  3  u 


354 

1  Peter  i.  20,  21. 

W/io  verily  was  foreordained  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  hut  icas  manifest  in  these  last  times  for 
you;  icho  by  him  do  believe  in  God  that  raised  him 
tqjfrom  the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory,  that  your  faith 
and  hope  might  be  in  God. 


JCiYERY  fabric  must  partake  of  the  strength  or  weak- 
ness of  its  foundation.  A  house  that  is  built  upon  the 
loose  sand,  will  soon  fall  to  the  ground ;  nay,  the  higher 
it  is  raised,  especially  if  the  materials  be  weighty,  the 
more  sudden  and  ruinous  will  its  fall  be.  It  must  there- 
fore be  of  the  last  importance  to  the  Christian,  to  be  ful- 
ly satisfied  in  his  own  mind,  that  the  grounds  of  h'ls  faith 
and  hope  in  God  are  sufficient  to  sustain  all  the  weight 
he  hath  to  lay  upon  thera. 

The  life  of  the  soul  is  no  trivial  matter;  it  is  our  all. 
Other  things  may  be  wanted,  but  this  is  the  "one  thing 
needful."  The  death  of  the  soul,  by  which  I  mean  its 
final  separation  from  the  only  source  of  life  and  joy,  is 
misery  in  the  extreme;  pure  misery,  without  mixture  or 
alloy. 

To  this  death  we  all  became  liable  by  our  apostacy 
from  God.  The  loathsome  disease  which,  if  left  to  its 
own  operation,  will  soon  produce  this  fatal  effect  is  deep 
lodged  in  our  nature;  and  wc  are  directed  to  look  up  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  not  only  for  the  cure  of  the  dis- 
ease, but  likewise  for  all  that  exalted  happiness  be- 
sides, which,  commencing  in  present  reconciliation  with 


SERMON  XXIV.  355 

6rO(l,  and  tlie  renovation  of  the  soul  after  his  divine  im- 
age, shall  at  length  be  perfected  in  the  entire  resem- 
blance and  full  enjoyment  of  him  in  the  heavenly  state. 

That  the  Lord  Jesus  is  able  to  do  these  great  tilings 
for  us,  is  tiie  professed  belief  of  all  who  style  themselves 
Christians. 

The  dignity  of  his  person,  as  the  "  eternal  Word 
made  flesh;"  the  perfection  of  his  obedience;  the  merit 
of  his  sacrifice  ;  his  resurrection  from  the  dead ;  and  his 
exaltation  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  leave  no  room  to 
doubt  of  his  saving  power :  while  his  own  account  of 
the  errand  upon  which  he  came  into  the  world;  his  free 
unconstrained  choice  of  the  office  of  Redeemer;  his  gen- 
erous offers  of  mercy  to  the  chief  of  sinners;  together 
with  the  regret  he  always  expressed  when  these  offers 
were  rejected — may  justly  lead  us  to  conclude,  that  he 
is  no  less  willing  than  "  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.'' 

These  encouraging  truths,  which  are  written  as  with 
a  sun-beam  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  present  themselves 
to  the  view  of  every  intelligent  reader.  Hence  those  gen- 
eral  professions  of  gratitude  to  the  Redeemer,  and  of  de- 
pendaoce  upon  him,  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  deliver, 
anee  from  wrath,  which  are  so  common  among  ChriS' 
tians  of  almost  every  denomination. 

Rut  I  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  observe,  that 
these  views  of  the  8aviour,  though  just  in  themselves, 
are  too  often  blended  with  indistinct,  and  even  errone- 
ous, conceptions  of  the  great  scheme  of  salvation,  as  re- 
vealed in  the  gospel.  Many,  while  they  look  upon  the 
Son  as  the  generous  friend  of  fallen  man,  are  too  apt  to 
represent  the  Father  to  their  own  minds  as  severe  and 
unrelenting;  eager  to  punish  his  guiUy  creatures;  yield- 
ing  with  reluctance  to  accept  the  offered  ransom,  and  to 


356  SERMON  XXIV. 

receive  from  a  Mediator^  that  satisfaction  to  his  justice 
which  was  necessary  to  make  way  for  such  exercise  of 
mercy  as  might  consist  with  the  authority  of  bis  laws, 
and  the  dignity  of  his  government. 

Sentiments  of  this  kind  are  not  only  gloomy  and  un- 
comfortable to  those  who  entertain  them,  but  have  like- 
wise a  most  p  rnicious  tendency  in  other  respects.  They 
thwart  the  very  design  of  Christ's  coming  into  the 
world;  of  whom  it  is  expressly  said,  that  "  he  suffered, 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.'' 
It  was  not  that  our  regard  should  terminate  in  his  own 
person  as  Mediator;  but  that  through  him  they  should 
ascend  to  the  eternal  Father,  who  "  so  hjved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  l)e- 
lieveth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life.''  He  came  to  demonstrate  the  love  of  God  to  sin- 
ners of  mankind;  that,  by  rendering  the  Father  amiahle 
to  the  convinced,  enlightened  soul,  he  might  overpower 
its  natural  enmity,  and,  upon  the  ruins  thereof,  erect  a 
throne  for  gratitude  and  love.  Christ  is  indeed  said  to 
be  *^  the  end  of  the  law ;"  and  the  law,  by  showing  us 
our  guilt  and  depravity,  and  the  necessity  of  a  better 
righteousness  than  our  own,  to  be  pleaded  as  the  ground 
of  our  acceptance  with  God,  is  very  properly  styled  "our 
Schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ."  But  when  we  are 
brought  thus  far  by  the  discipline  of  the  law,  doth  Christ 
then  command  us  to  stop  short  at  himself,  and  to  pro- 
ceed no  farther?  No;  he  who  is  ^'  the  end  of  the  law" 
is  styled  the  woij  to  the  Father;  for  thus  he  describes 
his  o\vn  character  and  office,  (John  xiv.  6.)  "  I  am  the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life;  no  man  cometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  me."  It  is  God  in  C/msi  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself  by  the  ministry  of  the  Spirit^ 
ihat  is  the  complete  and  adequate  object  of  faith :  and 


SERMON  XXIV.  357 

we  do  not  understand  **  the  word  of  reconciliation,"  till 
we  see  the  undivided  Godhead,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  united  iu  counsel,  as  they  are  in  one  essence; 
and  each  performing,  in  the  character  he  sustains,  a  pe- 
culiar work  of  grace  for  the  eternal  salvation  of  an  elect 
world. 

It  is  the  agency  of  the  Father  in  this  wonderful  plan 
which  "  ant^els  <lesire  to  lonk  into,"  that  the  passage  I 
have  been  reading  leads  us  at  present  to  contemplate. 
And  it  will  readily  occur  to  you,  that  four  several  acts 
of  grace  are  here  attributed  to  him. 

First.  He  ordained  his  Son  to  the  office  of  Redeemer. 

Secondly.  He  manifested  him  to  the  world  at  the  ap- 
pointed season. 

Thirdly.  He  raised  him  up  from  the  dead.  And, 

Fourthly.  He^aye  him  glory. 

Each  of  these  particulars  1  shall  endeavour  to  illus- 
trate ;  and  then  show  their  joint  tendency  to  establish 
our  faith  and  hope  in  God. 

First.  It  was  the  Father  who  ordained  Christ  to  the 
office  of  Redeemer.  You  need  only  read  from  the  17th 
verse,  to  be  satisfied  that  this  was  the  doctrine  the  Apos- 
tle meant  to  deliver;  "If  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who, 
without  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  according  to  every 
man's  work,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in 
fear;  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed 
with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  g(dd,  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  Lamb  without  blemish 
and  without  spot,"  who  verily  was  foreordained,  namely, 
by  the  Father,  sustaining  the  character  of  the  Supreme 
Lord  and  Judge,  before  the  foundation  of  the  icorld. 

"  Known  unto  God  are  all  liis  works  from  the  begin- 
ning." The  scheme  of  redemption,  and  the  several  steps 
preparatory  to  its  final  execution,  were  fixed  and  adjust- 


358  SERMON  XXIV. 

ed  before  time  commencetl.  This  in  part  appears  from 
tlie  manner  of  its  first  publication  in  paradise,  as  Moses 
hath  recorded  it  in  the  sacred  history.  Tlie  cool  majes- 
tic solemnity  with  wliich  the  whole  procedure  was  con- 
ducted on  that  important  occasion,  and  especially  the 
putting  the  gracious  promise  of  a  Deliverer  to  our  guilty 
parents,  into  the  form  of  a  judicial  sentence  against  the 
grand  apostate  who  had  seduced  them,  plainly  showed, 
that  t!ie  constitution  which  then  commenced  was  not  an 
after- thought,  or  newly-devised  expedient,  but  that  all 
was  the  result  of  previous  counsel  and  design ;  that  the 
rebellion  had  been  seen  before  it  was  acted,  and  redemp- 
tion decreed  before  the  forfeiture  was  incurred. 

Many  passages  might  be  quoted  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment writings,  where  the  Father's  choice  and  ordination 
of  the  Saviour  are  declared  in  the  strongest  and  most  ex- 
plicit terms.  In  one  place  he  is  introduced,  proclaiming 
his  sovereign  pleasure  in  these  words :  "  Behold  my 
Servant  whom  I  uphold,  mine  Elect  in  whom  my  soul 
delighteth :  1  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him,  he  shall 
bring  forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles.''  In  another  place, 
where  Messiah  himself  is  the  speaker,  the  Father's  com- 
mission is  thus  acknowledged  by  him :  "  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath  anoint- 
ed me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek,  he  hath 
sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liber- 
ty to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them 
that  are  bound."  And  this  last  quotation  is  more  re- 
markable, because  the  evangelist  liuke  informs  us,  that 
our  Lord,  after  reading  it  publicly  in  the  synagogue  at 
Nazareth,  directly  applied  it  to  himself,  by  adding  these 
words:  "This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your 
cars."  Luke  iv.  21. 

But  there  are  other  declarations  of  our  blessed  Re- 


SERMON  XXIV.  359 

deemer,  which,  without  any  circuit,  express  the  same 
truth,  in  terras  so  plain,  that  it  is  impossihle  for  any 
body  to  mistake  their  meanin:;.  ^'  I  proceed  forth,"  said 
he,  "  and  came  from  God  ;  neither  came  I  of  myself, 
but  he  sent  me."  ''  1  do  nothing  of  myself,  but  as  the 
Father  hath  taught  me  I  speak  these  things,  and  he  that 
sent  me  is  with  me."  I  came  from  heaven  to  do  the  will 
of  him  that  sent  me."  ^*  I  have  not  spoken  of  myself, 
but  the  Father  which  sent  me,  he  gave  me  a  command- 
ment what  I  should  say  and  what  I  should  speak." 
Such  explicit  acknowledgments  from  the  mouth  of  "  the 
faithful  witness,"  which  must  be  familiar  to  the  ears  of 
all  who  are  conversant  with  the  lively  oracles  of  truth, 
are  suflRcient  to  illustrate  the  agency  of  the  Father  in 
framing  the  plan  of  man's  redemption  before  time  com- 
menced, and  in  ordaining  the  Son  to  carry  it  into  exe- 
cution. 

Secondly.  His  agency  is  no  less  conspicuous  in  mani- 
festing the  Saviour  at  the  appointed  season. 

It  was  the  original  promise,  that  ^'  the  seed  of  the 
woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head."  Accordingly 
we  read,  (Gal.  iv.  4.)  that  "when  the  fulness  of  the  time 
was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  icoman.^' 
The  propriety  of  which  expression  cannot  fail  to  strike 
us  with  peculiar  force,  when  we  recollect  what  the  angel 
said  to  Mary,  after  he  had  informed  her  of  the  high  hon- 
our which  God  was  about  to  confer  upon  her,  (Luke  i. 
35.)  "The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee;  therefore 
also  that  holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall 
be  called  the  Son  of  God."  All  the  predictions  of  the 
prophets  concerning  the  time  and  place  of  the  Messiah's 
birth,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  Jewish  nation  at  that 
important  period,  were  most  exactly  fulfilled,  as  might 
easily  be  shown. 


3G0  SERMON  XXiV. 

A  special  messenger  was  sent  to  prepare  the  world 
for  his  recoption;  this  was  John  the  Baptist,  (who  had 
likewise  been  foretold  in  ancient  prophecy)  to  whom  the 
Father  mamfpsted  the  promised  seed,  by  a  visible  de- 
scent of  the  Holy  Ghost  at  his  baptism,  accompanied 
with  a  voice  from  heaven,  which  said,  "  This  is  my  be- 
lovetl  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  Which  signal 
and  most  authentic  attestation  was  immediately  publish- 
ed by  John  (o  the  men  of  that  age;  for  this  was  the  re- 
cord hn  bare.  (John  i.  32,  33,  34.)  '•  I  saw  the  Spirit 
descending  from  him  like  a  dove,  and  it  abode  upon 
him.  And  T  knew  him  not;  hut  he  that  sent  me  to  bap- 
tize with  water,  the  same  said  unto  me.  Upon  whom 
thou  shall  see  the  Spirit  descending  and  remaining  on 
him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  1  saw,  and  bare  record,  that  this  is  the  Son 
of  God." 

But  he  had  greater  witness  than  that  of  John.  ^'  The 
works  which  his  Father  gave  him  to  finish,  the  same 
works  that  he  did,  bare  witness  of  liim  that  the  Father 
had  sent  him."  It  was  to  this  divine  attestation  that  our 
Lord  himself  most  frequently  appealed.  When  the  Jews 
caine  to  him  in  Solomon's  porch  at  the  feast  of  the  dedi- 
cation, and  said  unto  him,  ^'  How  long  dost  thou  make 
us  to  doubt?  if  thou  be  the  Christ  tell  us  plainly;"  his 
answer  was,  "I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not:  The 
works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they  bear  witness 
of  me."  ''  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my  Father,  believe 
me  not:  but  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe  not  me,  believe 
the  works;  that  ye  may  know  and  believe  that  the  Fa- 
ther is  in  me  and  I  in  him." 

The  miraculous  appearances  at  his  death  had  such  an 
ciTect  upon  the  centurion,  and  the  soldiers  who  attended 
his  crucifixion,  that  ^'  when  they  saw  the  earthquake, 


SERMON  XXIY.  3(51 

and  those  things  that  were  done,"  and  in  particular  ob- 
served with  what  majesty  lie  retired  from  life,  volunta- 
rily dismissing  his  Spirit,  after  he  had  cried  with  a  shout 
of  triumph.  It  is  finished,  "  they  feared  greatly,  saying, 
Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God." 

By  these,  and  sundry  other  ways  that  might  be  men- 
tioned, did  the  Father  manifest  and  give  testimony  to 
the  Saviour. 

Thirdly.  But  it  was  chiefly  by  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead  that  our  Lord  was  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power."  And  this  is  the  third  particular  men- 
tioned in  the  text;  which,  you  see,  is  expressly  attribu- 
ted to  the  agency  of  the  Father.  It  was  God,  saith  the 
Apostle,  that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead.  This  doth 
not  imply,  that  our  great  Redeemer  could  not,  or  did 
not,  by  his  own  proper  virtue,  rise  from  the  dead;  for 
what  he  said  to  the  Jews  was  strictly  true  in  the  most 
obvious  sense  of  the  words,  "  /  have  power  to  lay  down 
my  life,  and  /  have  power  to  take  it  up  again  ;^^  and  on 
another  occasion,  ^'Destroy  this  temple,"  pointing  at  his 
own  body,  "  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up."  Ac- 
cordingly, the  author  of  this  epistle  observes,  (chap.  iii. 
18.)  that  he  was  ^'quickened  by  the  Spint,^'  or  that  di- 
vine nature  which  was  personally  united  to  his  humani- 
ty. And  in  his  memorable  sermon  on  tiie  day  of  Pente- 
cost, speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  after  he  had 
said,  (Acts  ii.  24.)  that  the  Father  "loosed  the  pains  of 
death,"  he  immediately  added,  "  because  it  was  not 
possible  he  should  be  holden  of  it." 

Nevertheless,  as  Christ  sustained  a  public  character, 
and  died  as  the  surety  of  fallen  man,  it  was  highly  fit  in 
himself,  and  necessary  for  our  comfort,  that  the  agency 
of  the  Father  should  be  clearly  seen  and  acknowledged 
in  his  resurrection;  and  that  his  release  from  the  grave 


VOL.  L 


36a  SERMON  XXIV. 

should  appear  to  be  an  act  of  righteous  administratioD, 
rather  than  the  mere  exercise  of  sovereign  power.  It 
TV'as  certainly  most  regular,  that  the  same  hand  from 
"ivliich  he  received  his  commission  should  seal  his  dis- 
charge; for  none  else  but  the  Father  was  qualified  to 
judge  whether  or  not  the  articles  of  agreement  were  ful- 
filled :  He,  and  he  alone,  had  authority  to  declare  that 
the  satisfaction  was  valid,  and  the  debt  paid  to  the  utter- 
most farthing.  This,  1  apprehend,  was  the  reason  why 
an  angel  was  sent  from  heaven  to  roll  away  the  stone 
from  the  door  of  the  sepulchre.  It  was  not  surely  to 
open  a  passage  for  our  Lord,  as  though  any  stone,  how 
great  soever,  could  have  confined  his  revived  body  to 
the  grave;  for  we  read,  (John  xx.  11).)  that  "on  the 
same  day  at  evening,  when  the  doors  were  shut,  where 
the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  Jesus 
came  and  stood  in  the  midst  of  them.''  But  what  our 
Lord  said  to  the  people  (John  xii.  30.)  concerning  the 
voice  which  came  from  heaven,  in  answer  to  that  prayer, 
"Father,  glorify  thy  name."  This  voice  came  not  be- 
cause of  mPf  but  for  your  sakes,  may  justly  be  applied 
to  that  appearance  of  the  angel.  It  was  not  because  of 
Christ,  as  though  he  needed  his  aid,  hni  for  the  sake  of 
the  pious  women  who  had  come  to  visit  the  sepulchre; 
and  I  may  add,  for  the  sake  of  all  whom  their  report 
shall  reach,  to  make  it  evident,  that  his  discharge  was 
issued  in  due  form,  in  testimony  of  the  Father's  infinite 
deligiit  in  him,  and  of  his  perfect  satisfaction  with  his 
whole  conduct  as  Mediator.  This  leads  to  the 

Fourth  and  last  particular ;  upon  which  it  is  as  im- 
possible to  say  enough,  as  it  is  unnecessary  to  say 
much;  namely,  the  glory  he  received  from  tlie  Father  as 
the  promised  and  merited  reward  of  his  obedience  and 
sufferings. 


SERMON  XXIV  363 

Of  this  we  have  many  lofty  descriptions  in  Scripture. 
There  we  are  told,  that  "  God,  who  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  hath  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the 
heavenly  places,  far  above  all  principality,  and  power, 
and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  nam- 
ed, not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to 
come  :  and  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and  giv- 
en him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church/' 
^'  He  is  gone,"  saith  our  Apostle,  (in  the  3d  chapter  of 
this  epistle,  at  the  2M  verse)  "  He  is  gone  into  heaven, 
and  is  on  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  angels,  and  authori- 
ties, and  powers,  being  made  subject  unto  him.''  He  is 
constituled  the  final  judge  of  men  ;  for  "  God  hath  ap- 
pointed the  day  in  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained ; 
whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that 
he  raised  him  from  the  dead."  "  Then  shall  the  Lord 
Jesus  be  revealed  from  heaven,  with  his  mighty  angels, 
in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power  :  wlien  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his 
saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe." 
The  donation  of  this  glory  by  his  heavenly  Father,  and 
its  connexion  with  his  previous  sufferings  and  death, 
are  solemnly  acknowledged  by  our  Lord  himself,  in 
that  prayer  which  he  uttered  in  the  hearing  of  his  dis- 
ciples, (John  xvii.  4,  5.)  "I  have  glorified  thee  on 
earth :  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me 
to  do.  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine 
own  self,  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
the  world  was."  xVnd  both  are  expressly  asserted  in 
the   same   connexion,    (Philip  ii.  6, — M.)   where  the 


364)  SERMON  XXIV. 

Apostle  first  relates  the  several  steps  of  our  Lord's  im- 
miliation,  aiul  then  adds,  "  Wherefore  God  also  hath 
highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  above  every 
name :  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  eartli ;  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Fa- 
ther." 

Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  give  you  a  short  illus- 
tration of  the  agency  of  the  Father  in  the  work  of  man's 
redemption,  as  it  is  described  in  this  passage.  He  or- 
dained the  Saviour: — he  manifested  him  to  the  world; 
— he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead ; — he  gave  him  glo- 
ry. And  all  those  particulars  are  made  known  to  us. 
For  what  end?  that  our  faith  and  hope  may  be  in  God. 
Amazing  goodness !  What  shall  we  say  to  this?  "  Lord, 
we  believe  ;  help  thou  our  unbelief." 

Can  we  entertain  hard  thoughts  of  that  God,  who  hath 
not  only  done  such  great  things  for  our  recovery,  but 
done  them  in  a  manner  so  demonstrative  of  his  love,  that 
it  is  impossible  for  the  jealousy  of  guilt  itself  to  find  out 
any  seeming  defect  in  the  encouragement  they  afford, 
or  to  devise  any  additional  security,  for  dispelling  the 
fears,  and  assuring  tlie  hopes,  of  the  chief  of  sinners; 
who,  conscious  of  deserved  wrath,  and  confessing  the 
justice  of  tlie  sentence  that  condemns  tliem,  flee  for  re- 
fuge  to  that  sanctuary  erected  by  infinite  wisdom  and 
love,  for  the  reception  of  those  who  look  for  protection 
no  where  else?  LTnbelief,  when  viewed  in  the  glass  of 
my  text,  changeth  its  aspect;  and  instead  of  timid  dis^ 
trust,  plainly  appears  to  be  daring  jn^esumption.  We 
give  God  the  lie,  when  we  put  away  from  ourselves  the 
calls  of  his  mercy,  and  offers  of  his  grace :  Whereas,  by 
bumble  and  thankful  acceptance  of  the  Saviour,  "  wq 


SERMON  XXIV.  365 

set  to  our  seal  that  God  is  true;"  and  only  render  unto 
him  the  glory  that  is  due  to  his  name,  as  the  God  of 
love,  the  God  who  is  love,  even  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  he  reconciles  the  world 
unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them. 
A  copious  enlargement  upon  this  branch  of  my  sub- 
ject would  carry  me  far  beyond  the  ordinary  limits  of  a 
discourse :  but  as  it  is  the  will  of  God,  that  the  heirs  of 
promise  should  have  "  a  strong  consolation,"  I  cannot 
conclude  my  remarks  upon  the  agency  of  the  Father  in 
the  work  of  man's  redemption,  without  reminding  you 
of  "  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  tliough 
he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  became  poor,  that  wc 
through  his  poverty  might  be  rich."  "  He  who  was  in 
the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God,  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  up- 
on him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  like- 
ness of  men :  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
tlie  death  of  the  cross."  The  Father  indeed  freely  gave 
the  Son  to  us;  but  with  equal  freedom  the  Son  gave 
himself /or  us.  With  what  alacrity  did  he  accept  the 
oflBce  of  Mediator?  "  Lo,  I  come, — I  delight  to  do  thy 
will:  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  With  what  ardour 
did  he  execute  the  commission  he  had  received  !  ^^  I 
have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  strai- 
tened till  it  be  accomplisiied!"  "  I,"  said  he,  ^'  am  the 
good  shepherd ;  the  good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for 
the  sheep."  It  is  not  violently  taken  from  me;  I  volun- 
tarily lay  it  down.  Nay,  he  was  not  only  a  willing  sac- 
rifice, like  Isaac,  consenting  to  be  bound,  and  laid  upon 
the  altar;  but  he  himself  was  the  priest  that  offered  the 
sacrifice :  for  thus  it  is  written  in  the  epistle  to  the  He- 


3t56  SERMON  XXIV. 

brews,  (chap.  ix.  14.)  '^  Through  the  eternal  Spirit,  he 
offered  himself  without  spot  unto  God." 

Here  then  is  sunshine  without  a  cloud.  Around  the 
throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb,  all  is  bright  meridian 
splendour.'  What  pity  is  it  that  any  gloom  should  sit 
upon  our  minds?  "  In  tJiis  was  manifested  the  love  of 
God  towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begot- 
ten Son  into  the  world,  that  they  mightlive  through  him." 
1  John  ix.  9.  The  love  of  Christ  was  no  less  clearly 
manifested  in  his  ^'giving  himself  for  us  an  offering 
and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet-smelling  savour." 
Eph.  V.  3. 

These  two  memorable  and  interesting  sentences,  like 
the  cherubims  which  covered  the  raercy^seat,  have  their 
faces  looking  one  towards  another;  and  both  smile  with 
complacence  upon  every  returning  prodigal.  For  to  con- 
nect them  together,  and  bring  them  home  to  ourselves,  I 
need  only  direct  your  attention  to  a  third  passage  of 
Scripture,  where  faith  in  the  Son  is  expressly  enjoined 
as  an  act  of  obedience  to  the  Avill  of  the  father :  (1  Joliu 
iii.  33.)  ''  this  is  the  command  of  God,  tliat  we  should 
believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  Let  us 
this  day  unite  them  all  in  the  serious  meditations  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord  ;  and  improve  them,  as  we  ought  to 
do,  for  the  establishment  q{ ouv  faitli,  and  hope,  am]  joy., 
"We  are  not  straitened  in  God :  let  us  not  be  straitened 
in  our  bowels;  for  this  is  the  call  which  he  addresseth  to 
each  believer  in  particular,  "  Open  thy  mouth  wide, 
and  I  will  fill  it/**  Amen. 


367 

1  John  v.  11. 

This  is  the  record^  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal 
life:  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son. 


f  V  HY  do  not  all  to  whom  these  good  tidings  are  pub- 
lished, receive  them  with  humble  gratitude  and  joy  ? 
Are  they  expressed  in  terms  so  dark  and  ambiguous, 
that  their  meaning  and  import  cannot  be  fully  ascertain- 
ed ?  or  is  the  offer  of  life  loaded  with  such  hard  condi- 
tions, as  exceed  the  powers  of  those  to  whom  it  is  ad- 
dressed? Were  either  of  these  the  case,  unbelief  would 
be  furnished  with  something  more  than  a  plausible  ex- 
cuse. But  every  body  must  be  sensible,  that  neither  of 
these  objections  can,  with  any  colour  of  justice,  be  charg- 
ed upon  the  record  as  it  lies  before  us  in  my  text.  To 
what  then  shall  we  attribute  the  cold  reception  it  meets 
with  from  the  bulk  of  mankind;  the  contemptuous  re- 
jection of  it  by  many;  and  the  violent  opposition  that  is 
made  to  it  by  not  a  few. 

I  shall  not  pretend  to  enumerate  all  the  different  cau- 
ses that  might  be  assigned.  There  is  one  which,  how- 
ever it  may  appear  a  paradox  to  some,  doth,  in  my  opin- 
ion, unfold  the  most  dangerous  and  fruitful  source  of  in- 
fidelity. It  is  briefly  this: — The  gospel-record  is  too 
plain  to  be  understood,  and  too  gracious  to  be  believed. 

Here  is  nothing  above  the  level  of  the  lowest  capaci- 
ty; nothing  beyond  the  reach  of  the  most  degenerate 
among  men.  It  requires  no  acuteness   to  discover  what 


368  SERMON  XXV. 

is  meant  by  a  gift ;  and  if  the  gift  be  free  and  disen. 
cumbered,  all  to  whom  it  is  offered  are  equally  qualified 
to  receive  it.  This  pulls  up  at  once  the  deepest  laid 
foundations  of  pride  and  vain-glory,  and  thwarts  that 
love  of  distinction  and  pre-eminence  which,  from  the 
date  of  the  apostacy.  hath  been  the  fatal  inheritance  of 
the  human  kind.  We  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  being 
fed  at  a  common  table,  how  richly  soever  that  table  may 
Ijl'  furnished.  Each  of  us  would  wish  to  have  a  portion 
peculiar  to  himself;  something  that  might  denote  a  pre- 
ference to  others,  and  flatter  that  partial  opinion  which 
every  one  fondly  cherisheth  of  his  own  personal  impor- 
tance. 

Hence  it  is,  that  the  record  of  God  hath  either  been 
altogether  rejected,  or  so  interlined  with  the  glosses  of 
vain  philosophy,  as  to  alter  its  very  frame,  and  render 
it  not  only  ineffectual,  but  even  adverse,  to  those  salu- 
tary purposes  for  which  it  was  intended. 

The  Almighty  Independent  Sovereign  of  the  universe 
hath  ))een  tried  at  the  bar  of  his  own  rebellious  subjects. 
There  it  hath  been  decided  what  is  fit  and  becoming 
the  high  station  he  holds.  Plans  of  administration  have 
been  laid  down  for  him,  formed  upon  those  systems  of 
human  government,  which  to  each  daring  projector  ap- 
peared the  most  complete:  whereas  the  absurdity,  as 
well  as  the  arrogance,  of  all  such  attempts,  are  detected 
and  reproved  by  two  very  plain  questions,  which  the 
apostle  Paul  proposes  in  the  Itth  chapter  of  liis  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  at  the  close;  "  Wlio  hath  known  the 
mind  of  the  Lord?  or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor? 
Or  who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recom- 
pensed unto  him  again?"  No  man  of  common  under- 
standing will  hesitate  a  moment  in  giving  an  answer  to 
these  questions,   but  will  readily  reply, — None  hath 


SERMON  XXV.  369 

been  his  counsellor,  neither  is  there  any  who  hath  first 
given  to  God ;  *•  for,"  as  it  immediately  follows,  *'  of 
him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things."  And 
yet  how  obvious,  and  how  important,  are  the  consequent 
ces  of  such  acknowledgments  ? 

For  if  none  hath  been  his  counsellor,  it  is  plain  that 
none  can  know  his  mind  till  he  shall  be  pleased  to  re- 
veal it;  nor  even  then  can  it  be  known  any  further  than 
it  is  revealed.  To  supply  what  is  concealed,  with  con- 
clusions drawn  from  the  reasonings  of  our  own  minds, 
would  be  the  height  of  presumption  :  We  must  take  his 
counsel  as  it  lies  before  us  in  the  record  he  hath  given 
us,  without  adding  to  it  or  subtracting  from  it.  Again, 
if  none  hath  first  given  to  him,  how  erroneous  must  it  be 
to  measure  the  divine  administration  even  by  the  most 
perfect  models  of  government  among  men?  Nay,  if  it 
would  not  seem  another  paradox,  I  could  almost  ven- 
ture to  affirm,  that  the  more  perfect  any  constitution  of 
human  government  is,  the  less  it  is  adapted  to  be  a  stan- 
dard in  this  matter.  We  reckon  that  system  the  most 
excellent,  because  most  agreeable  to  the  soundest  prin- 
ciples of  reason,  by  which  the  original  equality  of  all 
men  by  nature  is  most  effectually  preserved ;  where 
established  law,  to  which  the  highest  are  subject,  re- 
strains the  hand  of  violence,  and  supports  the  meanest 
individual  in  the  possession  of  those  privileges  which, 
without  such  protection,  he  might  be  unable  to  defend. 
But  here  no  parallel  can  be  drawn  with  regard  to  the 
divine  government;  nor  is  there  room  to  reason  from  the 
one  to  the  other,  even  by  the  remotest  analogy.  The 
frame  of  human  policy,  the  whole  system  of  legislation, 
is  built  upon  the  basis  of  private  right  and  property ; 
whereas,  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  there  is,  there  can  be^ 
no  such  thing  as  property  on  the  side  of  the  governed  : 

vol..  T.  2  Y 


370  SERMON  XXy. 

All  the  subjects  are  the  creatures  of  the  Supreme  Ruler ; 
and  whatever  they  possess,  they  (leri\e  from  him.  The 
more  they  receive,  the  greater  debtors  they  are  to  his 
bounty;  and  when  they  improve  their  trust  to  the  ut- 
most extent  of  their  capacity,  they  have  no  merit  to 
plead  ;  their  iidelity  can  amount  to  nothing  higher  than 
innocence  ;  while  the  least  failure  renders  them  crimi- 
nal and  liable  to  punishment. 

So  that,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  whatsoever  God 
bestows  upon  the  most  perfect  of  his  creatures,  must  be 
the  eflfect  of  pure  grace  and  favour.  And  if  all  be  favour 
to  the  innocent,  wiio  have  never  left  the  station  in  which 
he  placed  them;  surely  what  is  bestowed  upon  the  guil- 
ty must  flow  from  the  purest  grace,  the  most  conde- 
scending exercise  of  sovereign  mercy. 

And  this  is  the  light  in  which  my  text  presents  to  our 
view  the  record  of  God  with  regard  to  fallen  man;  where 
the  whole  contents  of  the  gosj)el-constitution  are  com- 
prehended in  this  short  but  emphatical  sentence, 

God  hath  given  us  eternal  life:  and  this  life  is  in  his 
Son. 

It  consists,  you  see,  of  two  parts. 

1.  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life. 

2.  This  life  is  in  his  Son. 

I.  The  first  part  of  the  record  represents  the  great 
Lord  of  all,  in  the  endearing  character  of  a  munificent 
benefactor  and  tender-hearted  father,  regarding  his  guil- 
ty creatures  with  an  eye  of  pity,  and  graciously  inter- 
posing for  their  relief,  after  they  had  wilfully  destroyed 
themselves. 

I  need  not  detain  you  with  a  tragical  description  of 
the  fatal  effects  of  our  apostacy  from  God.  It  may  suffice 
to  remind  you  of  what  is  written,  (Rom.  v.  12.)  ^^  By  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin.'^  This 


SERMON  XXV.  371 

is  the  view  which  my  text  leads  us  to  take  of  the  pre- 
sent state  of  fallen  man.  He  is  not  only  become  mortal^ 
or  liable  to  deatb,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  that 
term;  but  he  is  already  dead,  in  the  most  important  and 
awful  sense  of  the  word.  He  is  separated,  or  cut  off, 
from  the  only  source  of  life;  and  though  he  is  still  alive 
in  this  material  world,  from  which  too  he  must  soon  re- 
move, yet  his  connexion  is  broken  with  the  spiritual 
world;  so  that  the  dissolution  of  the  body  terminates  at 
once  his  enjoyments  and  his  hopes.  Every  thing  beyond 
the  grave  must  wear  an  aspect  of  horror :  nothing  remains 
for  liim  after  that  fatal  period,  but  "  a  fearful  looking  for 
of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation." 

This  may  help  us  to  a  proper  conception  both  of  the 
nature  and  worth  of  the  blessing  here  mentioned.  The 
foundation  of  this  eternal  life  is  laid  in  reconciliation 
with  God  ;  for  by  that  we  pass  from  death  to  life ;  the 
essence  of  it  consisteth  in  likeness  to  God ;  and  it  is  per- 
fected in  the  beatific  vision,  and  full  enjoyment  of  God 
in  heaven. 

The  epithet  eternal,  sufficiently  distinguisheth  it  from 
that  precarious  kind  of  life  we  at  present  find  ourselves 
possessed  of.  It  is  a  life  that  is  not  subject  to  death ; 
neither  is  it  interrupted  for  one  moment  by  the  dissolu- 
tion of  the  earthly  tal)ernacle  :  on  tiie  contrary,  it  re- 
quires new  vigour,  by  that  stroke  which  separates  the 
soul  from  the  body;  and  then  only  arrives  at  full  matu- 
rity, when  the  man  ceaseth  to  be  any  more  an  inhabi- 
tant of  this  world. 

But  instead  of  enlarging  upon  the  nature  and  excel- 
lence of  this  inpstimable  blessing,  I  would  rather  direct 
your  attention  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  bestowed. 
And  here  the  record  is  abundantly  plain,  God  hath  c.iv- 
EN  to  us  elernul  life.  The  true  import  of  the  word  given, 


37;^  SERMON  XXV. 

is  clearly  decided  by  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says, 
'^  The  wages  of  sin  is  death ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eter- 
nal life;"  where  wages  and  gift  are  placed  in  direct  op- 
position to  one  another;  the  first  being  an  exercise  of  jus- 
tice, the  last  an  act  of  free  and  unmerited  favour.  And 
in  this  light  the  salvation  of  sinners  is  uniformly  repre- 
sented in  the  sacred  writings.  '^  It  is  your  Father's  good 
pleasure,''  said  Christ  to  his  disciples,  "to  give  you  the 
kingdom.  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith,"  said 
St.  Paul ;  "  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of 
God."  And  again,  "  Not  by  works  of  righteousness 
which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Accordingly,  eternal  life  is  styled 
an  inheritance;  which  is  inseparably  connected  with 
the  relation  of  children :  and  as  by  the  apostacy  we  be- 
came enemies  to  God,  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how  en- 
emies can  be  made  children  in  any  other  way  than  by 
an  act  of  the  purest  and  most  sovereign  grace. 

Were  God  in  any  respect  weak  or  indigent,  could  he 
be  impoverished  by  the  revolt  of  his  subjects,  or  hurt  by 
the  violent  efforts  of  their  enmity;  it  might  be  wisdom  to 
court  their  return  by  the  offer  of  a  reward,  and  even  to 
connect  the  reward  with  such  gentle  conditions  as  the 
proudest  heart  might  easily  digest :  but  this,  you  must 
be  sensible,  is  not  the  case  we  are  considering.  God 
stands  in  no  need  of  us,  or  of  our  services.  It  requires 
no  exertion  of  strength  to  crush  his  rebellious  subjects : 
if  he  withdraw  for  one  moment  the  support  of  his  power, 
they  perish;  for  '^in  him  they  all  live  and  move:"  so 
that  if  punishment  be  deferred,  and,  still  more,  if  bene- 
fits  be  conferred,  no  cause  can  be  assigned  for  eitlier  but 
his  own  sovereign  pleasure^  the  self-removing  goodness 
of  his  nature. 


SERMON  XXV.  373 

Were  these  plain  truths  attended  to,  much  vain  jang- 
ling and  strife  of  words  might  be  prevented,  and  a  ready 
solution  found  of  many  of  those  seemingly  intricate  ques- 
tions, with  which  serious  and  awakened  minds  are  oft- 
times  perplexed  and  discouraged. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  obvious  dictates  of  sound  reason, 
that  the  creature  owes  its  existence  to  the  pure  favour  of 
the  Creator.  It  is  equally  obvious  that  it  can  only  live 
by  those  means  which  the  Creator  hath  appointed.  Eve- 
ry species  of  animals  hath  its  jieculiar  aliment;  so  pecu- 
liar, that  what  is  food  to  one  species,  is  not  only  useless, 
but  frequently  noxious  to  another:  a  plain,  convincing 
evidence  of  their  immediate  and  absolute  dependance 
upon  the  will  of  that  Being  whose  workmanship  they 
all  are.  Whence  is  it,  that  those  materials  upon  which 
the  elephant  grows  to  a  bulk  so  enormous,  can  afford  no 
sustenance  to  the  comparatively  diminutive  body  of  man? 
No  answer  can  be  given  but  this.  The  Creator  hath  not 
chosen  and  blessed  them  for  that  end.  Every  attempt  to 
live  by  any  other  means  than  God  hath  appointed,  is  an 
attempt  to  live  not  only  independent  of  God,  but  in  defi- 
ance of  his  will.  xVdam  tried  the  experiment,  and  there- 
upon became  mortal :  for  it  was  not  the  quality  of  the 
forbidden  tree,  but  the  prohibition  of  the  Creator,  that 
armed  his  trespass  with  the  fatal  sting. 

And  can  the  nobler,  and  Spiritual  life,  be  less  inti- 
mately connected  with  its  Author  than  the  animal  one? 
If  that  be  lost  by  wilful  transgression,  doth  it  require 
less  power  or  less  grace  to  restore  it?  Or  can  Mie  revolt- 
ed creature  plead  any  right  to  the  institution  of  a  benefit 
which  was  freely  bestowed  at  first,  and,  even  before  it 
was  forfeited,  owed  its  continuance  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  the  giver?  The  absurdity  is  so  glaring,  that  every  one 
must  perceive  it  as  soon  as  it  is  mentioned.  The  bless- 


374  SERMON  XXV. 

ing  of  eternal  life  is,  and  can  be,  no  other  than  the  re- 
cord hath  declared  it  to  be  the  free  and  sovereign  gift  of 
God. 

An  hard  saying  this  to  the  vain  sons  of  Adam,  who 
would  always  find  something  in  themselves  to  boast  of! 
but  absuluiely  necessary  to  bring  them  back  to  that 
cheerful  dependauce  upon,  and  willing  subjection  to  the 
Fathvr  of  their  spirits;  which  is  the  only  healthful  and 
orderly  state  of  creatures;  the  happiness  whereof  they 
forfeited  by  aspiring  to  become  gods.  This  appears  to 
be  the  aim  of  all  God's  dispensations  to  the  children  of 
men ;  and  is  expressly  declared  to  be  the  ultimate  end 
of  the  gospel-constitution,  (1  Cor.  i.  30.)  "Of  him  are 
ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption:  that, 
according  as  it  is  written,  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glo- 
ry in  the  LordJ^ 

These  few  remarks  may  serve  to  throw  light  upon 
the  first  part  of  the  record,  God  hath  given  to  us  eter- 
nal life. 

2dly.  The  second  branch  of  it  doth  further  inform  us, 
that  this  life  is  in  his  Son. 

Though  God  acted  as  a  Sovereign,  in  conferring  so 
great  a  gift  upon  any  of  the  dead  posterity  of  Adam, 
and  couUI  not  be  influenced  to  this  act  of  grace  by  any 
other  motive  than  what  he  found  in  his  own  essential 
goodness;  yet  it  became  his  wisdom  to  exercise  mercy 
in  such  a  manner,  as  should  be  expressive  of  his  real 
character,  and  give  a  full  and  true  representation  of  his 
other  perfections  to  all  his  intelligent  creatures. 

Holiness  belongs  to  God  as  Mell  ;\?, goodness ;  and  the 
sceptre  of  his  kingdom  is  ''  a  sceptre  of  righteousness ;^^ 
and  therefore  Wisdom  required,  that  while  his  mercy 
triumphed  in  the  salvation  of  sinners,  his  holiness  should 


SERMON  XXV.  373 

at  the  same  time  shine  forth  in  all  its  glory,  by  such  a 
public  and  awful  condemnation  of  sin,  as  should  demon- 
strate his  infinite  abhorrence  of  that  accursed  thing,  with 
no  less  convincing  evidence,  than  if  the  sword  of  justice 
had  descended  with  unabated  force  upon  the  guilty 
heads  of  the  criminals  themselves. 

This  was  done  in  the  most  effectual  manner  by  the 
sufferings  of  his  only  begotten  and  well-beloved  Son,  in 
that  very  nature  which  had  offended.  When  he  "  who 
was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
equal  vyith  God,  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  took  up- 
on him  the  form  of  a  servant,  antl  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  ;" — then  indeed  was 
"  sin  condemned  in  the  flesh,"  and  the  righteousness  of 
God  not  only  revealed,  but  magnified,  as  it  is  written, 
(Rom.  iii.  25,  26.)  "  God  hath  set  forth  his  Son  to  be  a 
propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  [or 
manifest]  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins: 
that  he  might  be  just,"  and  appear  to  be  so,  "  when  he 
justifies  those  that  believe  in  Jesus." — Thus,  the  sa- 
crifice of  Christ  is  the  meritorious  cause  of  that  justifica- 
tion of  the  sinner,  which  not  only  delivers  him  from 
present  condemnation,  and  future  wrath;  but,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  grant  annexed  to  the  sacrifice,  doth  like- 
wise invest  him  with  a  right  to  life  that  shall  never  end, 
and  even  introduce  him  to  the  possession  of  that  inesti- 
mable blessing.  Hence  believers  are  said,  in  the  prece- 
ding chapter,  to  live  through  Christ,  as  the projiitiation 
for  their  sins.  "  In  tliis  was  manifested  the  love  of  God 
towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  l)egotten  Son 
into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him." — 
"Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he 
loved  us,  and  seut  his  Son  to  be  the  iwoptiation  for  our 
sins." 


376  SERMON  XXV. 

But  there  is  aii  obvious  difference  between  living 
through,  or  by  means  of  Christ,  and  having  life  in 
Christ;  which  last  is  the  form  of  expression  in  my  text. 
Nothing  less  can  be  meant  by  a  phrase  of  such  intense 
signification,  than  ist.  Tliat  the  Son,  as  Mediator,  is  in 
full  possession  of  all  that  life  which  is  the  gift  of  the 
Father;  2dly»  That  he  is  the  sole  fountain  or  source 
from  whence  life  flows  to  sinners  of  mankind ;  and,  Sdly, 
That  in  him  life  is  so  effectually  secured  for  all  who  be- 
lieve on  his  name,  that  no  adverse  power  shall  be  able 
to  deprive  them  of  it.  And  if  we  consult  the  lively  ora- 
cles of  truth,  we  shall  find  each  of  these  particulars  not 
only  implied,  but  asserted,  in  the  clearest  and  strongest 
terms. 

The  first  is  written  as  with  a  sun-beam  on  almost 
every  page  of  this  sacred  book.  "  The  Word  was  made 
flesh,"  saith  our  Apostle,  in  the  1st  chapter  of  his  gos- 
pel, at  the  14th  verse,  "  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace, 
and  truth : — and  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and 
grace  for  grace."  It  was  our  Lord's  own  declaration, 
(John  V.  26.)  that  "  as  the  Father  liath  life  in  himself, 
so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself." 
Accordingly,  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  Son  in  his  of- 
ficial character  as  head  of  the  church,  thus  writes  to  the 
Colossians,  (Coloss.  i.  19.)  "  It  pleased  the  Father, 
that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  And  that  none 
might  mistake  the  nature  of  that  fulness,  he  explains  it 
by  another  passage  in  that  same  epistle,  (Coloss.  ii.  9.) 
"  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodi- 
ly." To  which  he  subjoins  these  emphatical  words, 
*•  Ye  are  complete  in  him."  It  is  written,  (John  iii.  35.) 
"  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things 
into  his  hand."    This  was  the   testimony  of  John  the 


SERMON  XXV.  377 

Baptist  concerning  him ;  who  informs  us  in  particular, 
that  the  Spirit,  by  which  the  dead  sinner  is  quickened, 
and  born  into  a  new  world,  "  was  not  given  by  measure 
unlo  hira."  And  we  are  further  assured,  that  he  is  now 
in  possession  of  that  heavenly  kingdom,  where  the  spiri- 
tual life,  begun  at  the  new  birth  in  Ihe  hearts  of  his  peo- 
ple, shall  arrive  at  full  maturity,  and  be  enjoyed  in  per- 
fection through  all  eternity.  Thus  it  appears,  that  the 
Son,  as  Mediator,  is  possessed  of  all  that  life  which  is 
the  Father's  gift  to  sinners  of  mankind. 

^dly.  We  are  taught  with  equal  plainness,  that  the 
Son  hath  the  entire  disposal  of  life,  and  is  the  sole 
fountain  or  source  from  whence  it  tlows.  Thus  our  Lord 
said  to  the  Jews,  (John  v.  2t.)  ^'  xVs  the  Father  raiseth 
up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  thei^*  even  so  the  Soa 
quickeneth  whom  he  will."  In  his  conference  with 
Martha  at  the  sepulchre  of  her  brother  Lazarus,  he  styl- 
ed himself  the  resurrection  and  the  life  ;  and  added, 
"  He  that  belie veth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet 
shall  he  live;  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  oa 
me,  shall  never  die."  The  mawHf'?' of  imparting  this  life 
he  illustrates  by  the  similitude  of  a  vine  and  its  branches. 
^*  I,"  said  he,  "  am  the  vine,  and  ye  are  the  branches. 
As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide 
in  the  vine ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me : 
For  without  me  (or  separated  from  me)  ye  can  do  noth- 
ing." Accordingly  he  gets  the  name  of  the  head,  from 
which  all  the  body,  by  joints  and  bands  having  nour- 
ishment ministered,  and  knit  together,  increaseth  with 
the  increase  of  God.  The  closeness  of  this  union  is 
thus  expressed,  (1  Cor.  vi.  I7.)  "He  that  is  joined  to 
the  Lord  is  one  spirit."  And  the  apostle  Paul,  in  de- 
scribing his  own  life  as  "  a  man  in  Christ,"  (Gal.  ii.  20.) 

after  having  said,  "  I  am  crucilled  with  Christ,"  he  im- 
VOL.  I.  2  z 


378  SERMON  XXV. 

mediately  subjoins  "nevertheless  Hive;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in 
the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me."  x\ud  this  leads  to 
the 

3c?  Particular  I  mentioned,  as  included  in  that  strong 
expression,  This  life  is  in  his  Son  ;  namely.  That  in 
him  it  is  effectually  secured  for  all  that  believe  on  him, 
so  that  no  adverse  power  shall  be  able  to  deprive  them 
of  it.  Nothing  can  be  more  explicit  upon  this  head  than 
our  Lord's  own  words,  (John  x.  S7.  et  seq.)  '^  my  sheep 
hear  ray  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me. 
And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand. 
My  Father  which  §feve  them  me  is  greater  than  all;  and 
none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand.  I 
and  my  Father  are  one."  It  is  probable  that  Paul  had 
this  declaration  in  his  eye,  when  he  thus  wrote  to  the 
Christians  at  Colosse,  (Coloss.  iii.  3.)  '^  your  life  is  hid 
(that  is,  safely  lodged)  with  Christ  in  God."  Indeed 
the  treasure  was  too  precious  to  be  committed  to  any 
creature.  Of  this,  the  example  of  Adam,  in  his  greatest 
perfection,  affords  a  striking  proof.  How  soon  was  his 
own  life,  and  the  life  of  all  his  posterity,  forfeited  in  his 
hands?  Not  the  highest  seraph,  none  other  but  Imma- 
nuel,  God  in  our  nature,  was  equal  to  the  trust.  But 
with  him  it  is  in  absolute  safety.  He  is  able  to  keep  that 
which  the  Father  hath  committed  to  him ;  and  therefore^ 
^^  because  he  liveth,  all  who  have  fled  to  him  for  refuge 
shall  live  also;"  and  may  be  fully  assured,  that  "when 
he  ivho  is  their  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  they  likewise 
appear  with  him  in  glory."  Accordingly,  the  Apostle 
subjoins  to  my  text.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life.  He 
doth  not  say,  he  shall  have  life  at  some  distant  period. 


SERMON  XXV.  379 

but  he  hath  it  already  in  present  possession.  And  well 
might  he  say  so,  when  he  recollected  these  words  of  our 
Lord,  wliich  his  own  pen  liad  recorded  in  the  6th  chap- 
ter of  his  gospel,  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life.  I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  :  if  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever.  As  the  living 
Father  hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father;  so  he 
that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall  live  by  me.''  For  liow  can 
he  die  who  feedeth  upon  that  which  giveth  life?  and 
he  surely  must  have  life  in  all  its  extent  and  perfection, 
whose  sustenance  or  aliment  is  no  otJier  than  essential 
life  itself. 

Hence  it  appears,  how  much  they  mistake  the  gospel- 
constitution,  who  represent  eternal  life  as  a  distant  re- 
ward, suspended  upon  the  performance  of  certain  con- 
ditions on  the  part  of  the  creature :  whereas  salvation 
through  Christ,  though  perfected  in  heaven,  is  a  present 
salvation;  of  which  the  various  particulars,  which  are 
commonly  styled  terms  of  acceptance  with  God,  are  in 
truth  constituent  parts,  suited  to  the  present  state  of 
Christians;  and  ought  therefore  to  be  considered  as  the 
genuine  actings,  and  consequently  the  proper  evidences 
of  life  received  from  Christ,  but  not  as  the  conditions  or 
means  of  obtaining  it.  Tiiat  our  Apostle  viev.ed  the  mat- 
ter in  this  light  is  evident  from  the  13th  verse  of  this 
chapter ;  where,  in  the  review  of  the  large  account  he 
had  given  of  the  special  duties  that  belong  to  believers, 
and  the  characters  by  wiiieh  they  are  distinguished,  he 
thus  concludes :  "  These  things  have  I  written  unto  you 
that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  (not  that  ye 
may  obtain,  but)  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal 
life,"  by  the  free  gift  of  the  Father,  in  consequence  of 
your  union  with  his  blessed  Son,  who  hath  tlie  fulness  of 
life  in  his  hand,  as  i\ie  proprietor,  tlie  dispenser,  and  the 


380  SERMON  XXV. 

guardian  thereof.  For  eternal  life  doth  really  comnipncc 
at  that  happy  moment,  when,  hy  the  new  biith,  we  enter 
into  the  family  of  God,  and  become  his  children  through 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Thus  far  have  I  endeavoured  to  illustrate  the  record 
that  God  hath  given  concerning  his  Son.  Permit  me  then 
to  ask,  after  all  you  have  been  hearing,  in  what  light  doth 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  now  ap- 
pear to  you?  Is  he  that  object  of  terror  which  the  jea- 
lousy of  an  evil  conscience  is  apt  to  paint  him?  Can  you 
rationally  conclude,  or  is  there  even  room  to  suspect,  that 
he  is  an  enemy  to  your  happiness?  Oh !  with  what  eyes 
do  they  read  this  sacred  volume,  who  are  capable  for  a 
moment  of  entertaining  such  a  thought.  Is  it  not  the  ob- 
vious tendency,  as  well  as  the  declared  purpose  of  every 
thing  contained  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  to  prove  what 
the  Apostle  twice  repeats  in  the  preceiling  chapter,  God 

IS  LOVE, 

What  kind  of  evidence  would  satisfy  you?  It  is  my 
earnest  desire  that  the  question  should  be  fully  tried. 
My  interest  in  the  decision  is  equal  to  yours:  none  hath 
more  to  gain  or  to  lose  than  I  have. 

Devise  the  security  that  you  esteem  most  valid :  let 
nothing  be  omitted  that  you  can  suppose  would  be  of 
avail  for  binding  the  most  artful  and  fallacious  of  your 
fellow-men;  and  when  you  have  done,  1  challenge  you 
to  mention  one  article  among  them  all  that  is  wanting  in 
the  security  which  God  hath  freely  afforded  you. 

When  a  bare  declaration  of  one's  good  intention  doth 
not  satisfy  us,  we  may  ask  a  promise;  and  if  doubts  still 
remain,  we  may  proceed  to  require  the  interposition  of 
an  oath;  but  there  we  must  rest  as  to  verbal  security: 
^^  Xn  oath  for  coniirmation  is  an  end  of  all  strife.''  Need 
I  jemind  you,  that  without  your  solicitation,  God  hath 


SERMON  XXV.  381 

been  graciously  pleased  to  give  you  all  these?  *' For 
God  being  willing  more  abundantly  to  shew  unto  the 
heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirm- 
ed it  by  an  outli,  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which 
it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  liave  a  strong 
consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon 
the  hope  set  before  us." 

When  personal  obligation  is  not  deemed  sufficient,  a 
cautioner,  or  surety,  is  another  expedient  which  human 
wisdom  hath  devised.  And  is  not  such  an  one  provided 
by  the  great  God  ?  Not  a  creature,  though  of  the  high- 
est order,  but  his  own  Son,  by  whom  all  things  were  made, 
even  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  who  is 
expressly  styled  the  surety  of  a  better  testament. 

If,  after  all,  any  jealousy  remains,  we  must  next,  I 
suppose,  have  recourse  to  legal  security,  and  may  de- 
mand a  written  obligation,  a  deed  executed  with  every 
essential  formality.  Now,  what  kind  of  deed  hath  great- 
est force  and  validity?  None,  I  apprehend,  is  more  uni- 
versally held  sacred  and  inviolable  than  a  testament. 
This  was  Paul's  opinion,  when  he  said,  (Gal.  iii.  15.) 
<*  Though  it  be  but  a  man's  testament,  yet  if  it  be  con- 
firmed, no  man  disannulleth,  or  addeth  thereto."  xVnd 
are  not  we  furnished  with  this  veny  species  of  obligation? 
— a  testament  confirmed  and  rendered  unalterable  by 
the  death  of  the  testator;  with  this  additional  security 
against  its  being  abstracted,  erased,  or  defeated,  by  the 
infidelity  of  those  to  whom  the  execution  of  it  may  be 
committed,  (security  whicii  never  did,  nor  ever  can,  ex- 
ist in  any  other  case)  namely,  that  the  testator,  who  died 
to  give  it  force,  revived,  and  liveth  for  evermore,  to  be 
the  executor  of  his  own  deed  in  its  utmost  extent. 

Can  any  thing  further  be  required?  If  distrust  be  very 
great,  one  migiit  perhaps  wisli  to  have  a  valuable  2>/erf^e, 


38S  SERMON  XXV. 

something  of  equal  worth  put  into  his  hand,  till  the  ob- 
ligation be  fulfilled.  What  shall  1  say?  Let  unbelief 
blush  and  be  ashamed  to  open  its  mouth  any  more, 
when  it  looks  to  the  unspeakable  gift  of  God,  and  hears 
how  Paul  reasons  upon  it,  (Rom.  viii.  3S.)  *'  He  that 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all, 
how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?" 
It  is  really  astonishing,  that  such  profusion  of  evidence 
should  not  excite  in  men  a  greater  curiosity  to  discover 
the  true  reason  and  design  of  it.  Were  a  superior  trans- 
acting with  us  in  the  way  of  bargain,  though  he  should 
profess  that  he  meant  to  do  us  a  favour,  would  not  the 
offer  of  such  multiplied,  superabundant  security  for  the 
performance  of  his  part  of  the  agreement,  discover  such 
an  anxiety  to  get  the  bargain  concluded,  as  would  natu- 
rally breed  in  us  a  secret  suspicion,  that  however  mode- 
rate and  equitable  the  terms  proposed  might  appear,  yet, 
upon  the  whole,  the  chief  advantage  would  accrue  to 
himself?  Now,  it  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  that  to  impute 
any  such  interested  views  to  the  great  sovereign  of  the 
universe,  would  be  equally  absurd  and  blasphemous : 
for  how  differeutly  soever  men  have  conceived  of  the 
gospel-constitution,  it  is  universally  admitted  to  be  a 
covenant  o(  grace.  And  yet,  my  brethren,  if  eternal  life 
be  not  a  gift  absolutely  free,  but  the  wages  of  service  to 
be  done  by  us,  I  cannot  help  thinking,  that,  let  the 
terms  proposed  be  ever  so  moderate,  yet  such  means 
employed  for  gaining  our  consent  to  them,  could  hardly 
fail  to  tincture  our  minds  with  some  degree  of  these 
evil  surmisings  I  have  mentioned.  Whereas,  upon  the 
plan  of  the  record,  as  expressed  in  my  text,  every  part 
of  the  divine  procedure  appears  perfectly  wise,  consist- 
ent, and  gracious.  God  and  man  are  represented  in  their 
proper  characters :    God^  infinitely  good,  and  indepen- 


SERMON  XXV.  383 

dently  happy;  showing  mercy  to  the  miserahle  who  de- 
rived their  existence  from  him,  and  have  nothing  to  give 
but  what  his  own  bounty  hath  bestowed  upon  them: 
Many  on  the  other  hand,  in  his  fallen  state,  a  guilty,  and, 
of  consequence,  a  fearful,  suspicious  creature ;  conscious 
that  he  deserves  punishment,  and  hard  to  be  persuaded 
that  there  is  so  much  goodness  with  God  as  freely  to 
pardon  his  offences,  and  receive  him  again  into  favour. 
These  fears  beget  and  cherish  that  enmity  against  God, 
which  is  the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  carnal 
mind.  We  feel  the  effects  of  injuries  upon  our  own 
hearts,  and  we  are  apt  to  judge  ot  God  by  what  we  feel 
in  ourselves. 

It  was  to  vanquish  this  distrust,  that  God  condescend- 
ed to  deal  with  us  in  the  manner  I  have  represented ; 
that  by  giving  us  every  kind  of  assurance  that  jealousy 
itself  can  devise,  we  may  be  reduced  to  this  necessity, 
either  to  give  God  the  lie  ;  or,  being  convinced  that  he 
is  love,  to  rely  upon  his  faithful  word  of  promise ;  be- 
lieving that  he  who  bestowed  life  at  first,  by  a  free  act 
of  the  purest  bounty,  hath  goodness  enough  to  restore 
life  after  it  hath  been  forfeited,  by  another  act  of  as  free 
mercy  and  grace.  This  is  the  plain  account  which  the 
Scriptures  give  us  of  faith  in  Christ.  "  If  we  receive  the 
witness  of  man,"  saith  our  Apostle  in  the  9th  verse  of  this 
chapter,  "  the  witness  of  God  is  greater:"'  and,  (John 
iii.  33.)  receiving  the  divine  testimony,  is  said  to  be  a 
setting  to  our  seal  that  God  is  true.  Accordingly,  in  the 
verse  preceding  my  text,  unbelief  is  represented  as  de- 
riving its  chief  malignity  from  this  very  circumstance, 
that  it  denies  the  truth  of  God :  For  thus  it  is  written, 
"  He  that  believeth  not  God,  maketh  him  a  liar;  because 
he  believeth  not  tlie  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son." 


381  SERMON  XXV. 

And  this  is  the  record^  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eter- 
nal lifej  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son, 

You  see  then,  upon  the  whole,  one  great  end  of  the 
holy  sacrament  of  our  Lord's  Supper,  and  the  use  we 
ought  to  make  of  it.  Here  Christ  is  represented  to  us  as 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins;  *'  suffering,  the  just  for  the 
unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.'^  And  we  are 
assured,  that  in  consequence  of  his  obedience  unto  death, 
whereby  the  unchangeable  righteousness  of  God  was 
fully  displayed,  and  infinitely  glorified,  he  is  now  ex- 
alted to  the  throne,  and  hath  eternal  life  committed  to 
his  disposal,  that  he  may  impart  it  to  all  who  are  made 
williiig  to  receive  it  as  the  gift  of  his  Father,  through 
the  merit  of  his  blood.  Now,  it  is  the  express  command 
of  God,  that  we  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ:  and  it  is  the  no  less  express  declaration  of  the 
Son,  that  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out  such  as  come  un- 
to him.  Nay,  in  this  condescending  ordinance,  he  com- 
eth  to  us;  and  under  the  visible  symbojs  of  bread  and 
wine,  gives  himself,  with  all  the  fulness  of  life  that  dwell- 
eth  in  him,  to  every  believing  soul.  What  then  is  the 
counterpart  that  belongs  to  us?  Ts  it  not  to  behold  and 
admire  the  amazing  love  of  God,  that  we  may  be  no  more 
faithless,  but  believing? — Is  it  not  to  do  what  the  Is- 
raelite was  directed  to  do,  when  he  brought  the  appoint- 
ed sacrifice  to  the  high  priest?  He  laid  his  hand  upon 
the  head  of  the  victim  ;  and,  confessing  his  sin  over  it, 
acknowledged,  that  he  was  dead  in  law;  and  that  what 
remained  of  life  was  to  be  held  by  him  purely  in  virtue 
of  that  pardon  which  God  had  graciously  annexed  to 
the  sacrifice.  In  like  manner,  let  us  go  to  the  altar  of  God ; 
and  over  the  memorials  of  that  infinite  sacrifice,  chosen 
and  accepted  by  the  Father,  in  which  his  own  dear  Sou 
is  both  the  priest  and  the  victim,  let  us  acknowledge  our 


SERMON  XXVI.  385 

forfeiture  of  life,  and  justify  the  sentence  whereby  we 
are  condemned  to  die;  explicitly  declaring,  in  the  sight 
of  God,  angels,  and  men,  that  renouncing  every  otheF 
claim,  we  thankfully  accept  eternal  life,  as  the  gift  of 
God  through  Jesus  Christ;  and  consent  to  hold  it  solely 
by  his  right,  who  died  that  we  might  live  through  him. 
Amen. 


Hebrews  x.  19, — 22. 

Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  by  the  blood  o/ Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way 
which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us  through  the  vail, 
that  is  to  say,  hisfiesh;  and  having  an  High  Priest 
over  the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies 
washed  with  pure  water. 


JJiVERY  thinking  person,  whose  mind  hath  been  en- 
lightened to  form  just  apprehensions  of  God  and  of  him- 
self, will  be  anxious  to  obtain  a  satisfying  answer  to  the 
following  questions  : 

1.  What  encouragement  hath  a  sinner  to  draw  near 
to  God?  and, 

a.  After  what  manner  shall  he  draw  near  to  him,  so 
as  to  find  acceptance  ? 

Some,  I  know,  look  upon  them  both  as  very  easy 

subjects  of  inquiry.  They  have  such  low  conceptions  of 
VOL.  I.  3  a 


886  SERMON  XXVI. 

the  (liviiie  purity,  and  so  high  an  opinion  of  their  own 
dignity  and  worth,  that  they  see  little,  if  any  occasion 
at  all,  for  a  reconciling  Mediator  to  introduce  them  into 
the  presence  of  God.  They  admit,  that  repentance  for 
what  hath  been  amiss  appears  highly  reasonable,  and 
perhaps  may  be  necessary  ;  but  when,  like  men  of  can- 
dour and  probity,  they  have  confessed  their  faults,  and 
humbled  themselves  so  far  as  to  ask  forgiveness,  and  to 
promise  amendment,  then,  they  presume,  that  God  is  too 
generous  to  require  any  further  reparation;  that  he  will 
readily  pardon  what  is  past,  and  receive  them  into  fa- 
vour, as  if  they  had  never  offended  him. 

But  however  such  persons  may  magnify  their  own 
foolish  imaginations,  and  arrogantly  style  them  the  dic- 
tates of  reason  ;  yet  it  might  easily  be  demonstrated,  that 
this  scheme  is  absolutely  irrational,  and  incapable  of 
giving  satisfaction  to  any  serious,  unprejudiced  mind. 
Nothing  can  be  more  obvious,  than  that  the  Source  of 
all  being  deserves  the  supreme  love,  and  the  most  per- 
fect unceasing  obedience,  of  the  creatures  he  hath  made. 
This  is  the  true  law  of  nature,  that  is,  a  law  founded  in 
the  nature  of  God  and  of  man.  It  is  no  arbitrary  con- 
stitution, but  infinitely  fit  and  reasonable  in  itself ;  and 
therefore  equally  incapable  either  of  repeal  or  abate- 
ment; so  that,  in  the  language  of  our  shorter  catechism, 
every  deviation  from  it  deserves  God's  wrath  and  curse, 
both  in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  come.  Nor  would 
it  be  consistent  with  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God,  to 
remit  the  punishment,  and  receive  the  transgressor  into 
favour,  without  such  a  public  satisfaction  to  justice,  as 
may  testify  his  abhorrence  of  all  unrighteousness,  and 
his  resolution  to  support  the  authority  of  his  law,  as  ef- 
fectually as  the  due  unabated  punishment  of  the  sinner 
himself  could  do.  These  are  the  dictates  of  sound  rea- 


SERMON  XXVI.  387 

son  ;  and  tliercforc  all  whose  minds  have  been  awaken- 
ed  to  serious  consideration,  will  be  solicitous  to  know 
what  encouragement  they  have  to  draw  near  to  a  holy 
and  righteous  God ;  and  how  they  should  approach  hiiu 
so  as  to  find  acceptance. 

Now,  to  each  of  these  inquiries  the  passages  I  have 
been  reading,  affords  a  direct  and  satisfying  answer. 

I.  If  any  shall  ask,  What  warrant  or  encouragement 
hath  a  creature,  conscious  of  guilt,  to  draw  near  to  a 
God  of  unspotted  holiness  and  inflexible  justice  ? 

The  Apostle  will  inform  him,  that  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners (for  this  was  the  title  he  assumed  to  himself,  1  Tim. 
i.  15.)  hath  boldness,  or  (according  to  the  marginal  read- 
ing) libertij  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  ofJe- 
eiis,  by  a  new  and  living  way,  which  he,  in  the  charac- 
ter of  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God,  hath  conse- 
crated for  us  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh, 
or  that  human  nature  in  which  he  suffered,  as  a  propi- 
tiatory sacrifice,  or  sin-offering,  in  our  place. 

It  will  readily  occur  to  you,  that  all  these  peculiar 
forms  of  expression  allude  to  tiie  instituted  means  of  ac- 
cess to  God  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation ;  and  it  w^ere 
to  be  wished,  that  Christians  were  better  acquainted 
with  that  ancient  worship  than  they  commonly  are;  for 
without  some  linowledge  of  this  kind,  much,  I  need  not 
6ay  of  the  beauty  and  energy  of  the  New  Testament 
language,  but  even  of  its  true  meaning  and  import,  must 
escape  their  observation. 

The  principal  service  of  this  day  will  not  permit  me 
to  spend  so  much  time  as  would  be  necessary  for  tra- 
cing out  the  several  parts  of  the  allusion  with  perspicui- 
ty and  accuracy  :  it  must  at  present  suffice  to  give  you  a 
general  view  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning  in  the  foregoing 


388  SERMON  XXVI. 

part  of  this  epistle,  with  which  my  text  is  evidently  con- 
nected, as  an  obvious  inference  and  practical  conclusion. 
There  we  are  informed,  that  the  correspondence  with 
the  God  of  Israel,  in  all  the  public  exercises  of  religious 
worship,  was  maintained  and  conducted  by  the  inter- 
vention of  the  high-priest.  None  of  the  other  Jews,  of 
whatever  rank  or  oflBce,  were  permitted  in  person  to  ap- 
proach the  symbols  of  the  divine  presence.  To  him 
alone  it  belonged  to  pass  through  the  curtain  or  vail, 
which  separated  the  first  tabernacle,  wherein  the  ordi- 
nary priest  ministered,  from  the  second  tabernacle,  or 
holiest  of  all,  which  had  the  golden  censer,  and  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  with  the  cherubims  of  glory  over  it, 
shadowing  the  mercy-seat.  "  Into  this  second  taberna- 
cle," saith  the  Apostle,  at  the  7th  verse  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  *'  went  the  high-priest  alone,  once  every 
year,  not  without  blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself, 
and  for  the  errors  of  the  people."  He  then  proceeds  to 
observe,  that  the  office  of  high-priest,  the  worldly  sanc- 
tuary, and  the  various  ordinances  of  divine  service 
which  belonged  to  it,  were  on\y  figures  for  the  time 
then  present;  and  plainly  shows,  that  they  were  all 
ty[>ical  of,  derived  their  significancy  from,  and  received 
their  full  accomplishment  in,  the  priesthood  and  sacri- 
fice of  Jesus  Christ;  who  ^'  by  a  greater  and  more  per- 
fect tabernacle,  not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say,  not 
of  this  building;  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and 
calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,  entered  in  once  into  the 
Jioly  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us." 
After  which,  he  goes  on  to  prove,  with  great  force  and 
perspicuity,  that  what  he  calls  the  first  covenant,  or  the 
Mosaic  constitution^  carried  in  its  very  form  or  aspect 
the  most  legible  marks  of  imperfection  and  decay.  No 
fermanent  high-priest  belonged  to  il,  that  office  being 


SERMON  XXVI.  389 

exercised  by  men  compassed  about  with  infirmities; 
each  of  whom,  by  death,  gave  place  to  his  successor. 
Besides,  the  gifts  and  sacrifices  they  offered  were,  in 
their  own  nature,  so  mean  and  inconsiderable,  <*  that 
they  could  not  make  him  that  did  the  service  perfect,  as 
pertaining  to  the  conscience;  for  it  was  impossible  that 
the  blood  of  goats  and  calves  should,"  by  any  intrinsic 
virtue,  "  take  away  sin.''  Nay,  the  repetition  of  these 
sacrifices  was  a  plain  confession  of  their  weakness  and 
insuflSciency ;  as  the  Apostle  reasons  most  conclusively 
in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  "  For  the  law,"  saith 
he,  *'  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  and  not 
the  very  image  of  the  things,  can  never,  with  those  sa- 
crifices which  they  offered  year  by  year  continually, 
make  the  comers  thereunto  perfect.  For  then,"  adds  he 
in  the  form  of  a  question,  ^^  would  they  not  have  ceas- 
ed to  be  offered?  because  that  the  worshippers,  once 
purged,  should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of  sins. 
But  in  those  sacrifices  there  is  a  remembrance  again 
made  of  sins  once  every  year."  Whereas  Christ  is  an 
ever-living  and  unchangeable  high-priest.  The  blood 
which  he  offered  is  of  infinite  worth  and  efficacy,  being 
the  blood  of  Emmanuel,  God  in  our  nature.  According- 
ly tliere  is  no  repetition  of  his  sacrifice ;  for  tlius  the 
Apostle  proceeds  at  the  11th  verse,  "  Every  higli-priest 
standeth  daily  ministering,  and  offering  oftentimes  the 
same  sacrifices,  which  can  never  take  away  sins;  but 
this  man,"  this  God-man,  '•'  after  he  had  offered  one  sa- 
crifice for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
God ;  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made 
his  footstool.  For  by  one  offering  he  hati)  perfected  for 
ever  them  that  are  sanctiGed."  He  is  now  gone  to  the 
heavenly  sanctuary,  ^'  having  finished  transgression, 
made  an  end  of  sin,  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity, 


390  SERMON  XXVI. 

and  bronglit  iu  everlasting  righteousness.''  And  noth- 
ing remains  for  him  to  do  but  to  bless  his  people  with 
the  free  and  irrevocable  remission  of  their  sins,  accor- 
ding to  that  promise  of  the  covenant,  quoted  verse  17. 
their  sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more;  and 
to  dispense  to  all  who  are  willing  to  receive  (and  to  hold 
it  by  his  right)  that  fulness  of  life  which  is  lodged  in 
his  hand,  as  the  *'  Saviour  of  the  body,"  and  the  ^'  King 
and  Head  over  all  things  to  the  church." 

This  short  review  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning  serves 
to  throw  light  upon  the  passage  I  am  further  to  dis- 
course upon.  We  see  how  the  hlood  of  Jesus  gives  bold- 
ness or  freedom  to  enter  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
even  by  removing  that  guilt  which  separates  us  from 
God,  and  renders  us  incapable  of  holding  friendly  com- 
munion or  intercourse  with  him.  We  likewise  see  a  rea- 
son, why  the  way  of  admittance  into  the  holiest  is  called 
not  only  a  new  but  a  living  way.  The  entrance  into  the 
worldly  sanctuary  was  indeed  by  blood ;  for,  as  the 
Apostle  had  observed  at  the  22i\  verse  of  the  preceding 
chapter,  '^  almost  all  things,"  under  the  old  dispensa- 
tion, "  were  purged  with  blood ;  and  without  shedding 
of  blood  there  is  no  remission."  But  then  it  was  the 
blood  of  animals,  inferior  to  man ,  which,  after  they 
were  slain,  were  utterly  consumed,  and  could  live  no 
more:  Whereas  the  blood  by  which  we  now  enter  into 
the  heavenly  sanctuary,  is  the  blood  of  him  who  hath 
life  in  himself;  who,  though  he  voluntarily  submitted 
to  death  for  a  season,  yet  soon  rose  again  from  the  grave 
by  his  own  power;  '^  who  is  now  alive,  and  behold,  he 
livelh  for  evermore,  and  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  of 
death."  We  further  learn  upon  what  account  his  flesh, 
or  human  nature,  gets  the  name  of  a  vail,  through  which 
(he  new  and  living  way  into  the   holiest  is  consecrated 


SERMON  XXVI.  391 

for  us.  It  was  by  becoming  man  that  be  was  qualified 
to  sufler  in  our  place  for  the  expiation  of  our  guilt.  In 
him  we  behold  God  clothed  with  the  character  of  a  re- 
conciler,  as  the  God  of  love,  the  God  who  is  love.  His 
flesh  tlien  is  such  a  vail,  as  doth  not  exclude  from,  but 
opens  to  give  us  admittance  to  a  throne  of  grace ;  nay, 
Christ  himself  is  the  true  propitiatory  or  mercy-seat: 
the  sacrifice,  the  altar,  and  the  high-priest,  are  all  united 
in  his  wonderful  person.  In  short,  ''  he  is  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life ;"'  the  true,  the  living,  and  the  on- 
ly way  to  the  Father. 

Here  then  we  are  furnished  with  a  clear  and  satisfy- 
ing answer  to  the  first  question  proposed,  viz.  What 
warrant  or  encouragement  hath  a  guilty  creature  to  draw 
near  to  a  holy  and  righteous  God?  Jesus  the  high  priest 
over  the  house  of  God,  who  suffered  for  us  in  his  flesh, 
or  human  nature,  hath,  by  "  that  offering  and  sacrifice 
of  a  sweet-smelling  savour,"  consecrated  a  new  and  liv- 
ing way  of  access,  whereby  we  have  boldness  to  enter 
into  the  most  holy  jdace,  and  draxv  near  to  God  under 
the  sprinkling  of  his  blood. 

II.  The  answer  to  the  second  question,  which  re- 
gards the  manner  of  our  approach,  is  no  less  clearly 
expressed  in  the  following  words :  ^'  Let  us  draw  near 
with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our 
hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  aud  our  bodies 
washed  with  pure  water.'" 

The  ist  qualification  is  a  true  heart. 

Truth  is  directly  opposed  to  dissimulatiou  or  false- 
hood. A  true  heart,  then,  in  draicing  near  to  Gad  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  must  be  a  heart  that  corresponds  ^to 
the  profession  we  make :  and  what  that  profession  is,  in 
the  case  before  us,  may,  with  ease  and  ceituinty,  be  col- 
lected from  what  was  delivered  under  the  former  head. 


393  SERMON  XXVI. 

When  we  profess  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus  J  we  explicitly  renounce  all  pretensions  or  hopes 
of  obtaining  admittance  by  any  other  means.  We  ac- 
knowledge the  forfeiture  we  have  incurred  by  our  guilt, 
and  subscribe  to  the  justice  of  the  sentence  that  con- 
demns us ;  we  confess,  that  we  have  done,  and  can  do, 
nothing  to  recommend  us  to  the  favour  of  God,  or  that 
may  found  the  remotest  claim  to  pardon  and  acceptance. 
All  our  own  righteousness  we  throw  aside  as  filthy  rags. 
In  short,  we  plead  guilty  at  a  tribunal  of  justice,  and 
adopt  the  language  of  the  publican,  as  expressing  our 
true  character,  and  the  only  form  of  address  that  befits 
our  state,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner/ 

When  the  Jew  brought  the  sacrifice  which  the  law 
had  appointed  for  his  offence,  to  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle ;  when  he  laid  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  vic- 
tim, confessing  his  sin  over  it,  and  then  delivered  it  to 
the  high-priest,  that  its  blood  might  by  shed  for  the  ex- 
piation of  his  guilt ;  what  was  the  true  meaning  and  in- 
tent of  that  service?  Did  not  the  offender  present  the 
victim  that  it  might  be  substituted  in  his  place?  Did  he 
not  thereby  acknowledge  that  he  had  incurred  the  pe- 
nalty of  death ;  and  that  the  dying  agonies  of  the  devoted 
animal  were  only  a  faint  representation  of  what  was 
strictly  due  to  himself?  Was  not  this  a  virtual  renunci- 
ation of  any  right  to  the  continuance  of  life,  but  what 
arose  from  the  acceptance  of  the  sacrifice  in  his  room, 
and  the  gracifuis  promise  of  remission  annexed  to  that 
acceptance?  And  can  any  thing  less  than  this  be  meant 
by  draiving  near  to  God  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  P  Was 
tliere  more  virtue  in  the  typical  than  in  tlie  real  atone- 
ment? Or  is  less  to  be  expected  from  the  substance  than 
from  the  shadow?  Did  the  offending  Jew,  when  he 
made  liis  confession  over  the  head  of  the  victim,  look 


SERMON  XXVI.  393 

back  to  any  instances  of  past  obedience,  or  even  forward 
to  any  purposes  of  future  amendment,  and  conjoin  these 
with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice,  for  rendering  it  more  ef- 
fectual to  obtain  pardon  and  acceptance?   Surely  none 
who  attended  to  the  nature  and  form  of  the  institution, 
could  be  led  by  it  to  dream  of  any  mixture  of  this  kind. 
And  can  we  suppose  that  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  which 
we  have  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  is  only  a  joint 
cause  with  our  own  imperfect  obedience,  of  our  obtain- 
ing admission  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary?  Is  no  more 
meant  by  his  consecrating  for  us  a  neiv  and  living  way, 
than  that  he  hath  repaired  the  old  way  which  sin  had 
broken;  and  by  removing  some  obstructions,  rendered  it 
more  smooth  and  accessible  than  originally  it  was?  Hath 
he,  instead  of  paying  to  the  last  mite  what  justice  de- 
manded, done  no  more  by  his  sacrifice,  than  purchased 
an  easy  composition  of  the  debt,  that  an  hundred  pence 
might  be  accepted  for  the  ten  thousand  talents?  Is  it  pos- 
sible that  human  pride  and  vanity  can  give  such  a  co- 
louring to  this  motley  scheme,  as  to  make  it  pass  w^itU 
any  reasonable  creature,  for  that  marvellous  doing  of  the 
Lord,  that  highest  exertion  of  wisdom  and  grace,  which, 
angels  themselves  desire  to  look  into?   To  account  for 
this,  we  must  have  recourse  to  what  the  apostle  Paul 
writes,  (1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  "The  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him :  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned."  He  is  become  vain  in  his  imagi- 
nations, and  his  foolish  heart  is  darkened.    But  they 
whose  eyes  are  opened  by  the   Spirit  of  truth,  will 
cordially  join  with  the  same  Apostle,  and  say  as  he  did, 
(Philip,  iii.  7,  8,  9.)  "  What  things  were  gain  to  me, 
those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.    Yea,  doubtless,  and  I 

count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
VOL.  I.  3  b 


394<  SERMON  XXVI. 

ledge  of  Cliiist  Jesus  my  Lord  :  and  do  account  them 
but  dung  tliat  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him, 
not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law, 
but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ  the  righte- 
ousness which  is  of  God  by  faitii.'^  This  is  tlie  language 
of  a  true  heart,  in  drawing  near  to  God  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus;  wliich  may  suffice  to  explain  the  first  qualifica- 
tion here  mentioned.  I  do  not  say  that  no  more  is  in- 
cluded in  it;  but  this  I  affirm,  that  such  an  absolute  re- 
nunciation of  every  other  ground  of  hope,  is  one  princi- 
pal thing  implied  in  the  true  heart,  as  it  stands  connect- 
ed with  the  Apostle's  reasoning,  if  not  the  very  thing  he 
had  most  directly  in  his  eye. 

2dly,  To  a  true  heart,  the  Apostle  adds  the  full  as- 
surance of  faith. 

This  leads  us  back  to  the  great  objects  of  faith  that 
liave  already  been  presented  to  our  view,  viz.  the  high- 
priest  over  the  house  of  God ;  tlie  vail  of  his  human  na- 
ture, whicli  is  the  passage  into  the  sanctuary;  and  the 
blood  of  his  sacritlce,  that  emboldens  us  to  enter  in  :  And 
it  is  required,  that  our  faith  in  this  way  of  access  be  full 
and  assured. 

The  true  heart,  giving  a  faithful  verdict  upon  the  de- 
merit of  sin,  and  subscribing  to  the  justice  of  the. sen- 
tence, whereby  the  sinner  is  excluded  from  the  presence 
of  God,  acknowledgeth  this  to  be  the  only  way.  But 
faith  advauceth  a  step  farther,  and  presents  it  to  the  en- 
lightened mind,  as  a  safe,  a  sure,  and  infallible  way. 
Hear  its  genuine  language  from  the  mouth  of  our  Apos- 
tle, (1  Tim.  i.  15.)  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  Faith, 
contemplating  the  dignity  of  the  High-Priest,  and  the 
nature  and  design  of  the  sacrifice  he  offered,  can  Iiave 


SERMON  XXVI.  395 

BO  doubt  of  the  merit  of  his  blood;  but  may  conclude 
firmly,  and  without  hesitation,  that  it  hath  sufficient  effi- 
cacy to  cleanse  from  all  sin.  But  when  it  proceeds  far- 
ther, and  reads  the  commission  he  received  from  the 
Father;  when  it  weighs  the  evidence  tliat  ariseth  from 
his  resurrection  and  ascension,  of  the  Father's  infinite 
deliglit  in  him,  and  his  perfect  satisfaction  with  his 
whole  conduct  as  Mediator;  above  all,  when  it  follows 
him  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  whither  he  hath  car- 
ried his  atoning  blood,  and  sees  the  reward  conferred 
upon  him  for  his  voluntary  obedience  unto  death,  a 
name  given  him  above  every  name,  and  all  things  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  put  under  his  feet :  What  shall  I 
say?  from  this  entire  view  of  God  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself,  can  any  other  conclusion  be 
draw^n,  than  what  the  apostle  John  hath  done  before  us, 
viz.  God  is  love?  So  complete  is  the  evidence  afforded 
us  in  the  gospel  of  God's  merciful  nature,  and  of  the 
good- will  he  bears  to  the  children  of  men,  that  the  most 
entire  credit  to  his  declarations  upon  this  head  is  in  ef- 
fect no  more  than  a  setting  to  our  seal,  to  what  one 
should  think  the  most  obvious  and  self-evident  of  all 
propositions,  that  God  is  true.  And  is  there  a  man  to 
be  found  that  denies  this  proposition?  Dare  any  be  so 
outrageously  insolent  and  injurious  as  to  call  God  a 
liar?  Let  me  refer  you  to  the  same  Apostle,  who  testi- 
fied that  God  is  love,  for  an  answer  to  tliis  question, 
and  he  will  inform  you,  (1  John  v.  10.)  that  every  one 
who  bclieveth  not  the  record  tliat  God  hath  given  of  his 
Son,  maketh  him  a  liar.  This  is  a  repetition  of  the  first 
transgression,  with  peculiar  circumstances  of  aggrava- 
tion. Unbelief  was  the  root  of  Adam's  sin ;  for  had  he 
truly  believed  that  the  threatening  was  to  be  executed, 
he  would  not  have  dared  to  incur  the  penalty.  And  can 


396  SERMON  XXVI. 

it  be  less  criminal  to  charge  God  with  falsehood  in  a 
profession  of  kindness  than  in  a  threatening  of  displea- 
sure? Nay,  is  it  not  a  worse  species  of  deceit  to  flatter 
with  delusive  hopes  than  to  frighten  with  unreal  terrors? 
and  yet  an  unbeliever  of  gospelgrace  doth  in  eflfect 
charge  God  with  this  very  species  of  deceit;  and  that 
not  only  in  the  face  of  the  strongest  repeated  declara- 
tions of  good-will,  but  against  every  kind  of  confirma- 
tion that  the  most  distrustful  suspicion  could  require  or 
devise.  Adam  had  no  other  restraint  but  a  naked  threat- 
ening; he  had  seen  no  exertion  of  punitive  justice; 
every  thing  around  him  was  expressive  of  the  per- 
fect goodness  of  its  Author;  and  there  was  no  precedent 
or  example  of  the  penalty  with  which  the  prohibition 
was  enforced.  But  what  have  we  in  support  of  the  gos- 
pel record?  or  rather,  let  me  ask.  What  addition  could 
be  made  to  the  evidence  already  afforded  us,  that  it  is 
faithful  and  true?  We  have  the  promise  of  God  confirm- 
ed by  his  oath;  we  have  the  gift  of  his  own  Son  to  be 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins ;  we  are  not  only  permitted, 
but  invited,  nay  commanded,  to  come  to  the  Saviour, 
with  this  most  endearing  declaration,  that  such  as  come 
to  him  shall  in  no  wise  be  rejected  or  cast  out  by  him. 
And  shall  not  this  accumulated,  this  superabundant  evi- 
dence, deter  us  from  the  presumption  of  calling  God  a 
liar?  or  rather,  shall  it  not  produce  in  us  i\mt full  as- 
mrancp.  of  faith,  w'lili  which  the  Apostle  exhorteth  us 
to  draw  near  to  God  by  the  blood  of  Jesus? 

The  third  qualification,  expressed  in  these  words, 
having  our  hearts  spriiiJded  from  an  evil  conscience, 
is  an  advance  upon  the  other  two,  and  implies  a  personal 
application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  ourselves;  for  it  is 
this  alone  that,  (as  we  read  verse  14.  of  the  preceding 
chapter)  can  purge  the  conscience  from  dead  works,  and 


SERMON  XXVI.  397 

vanquish  those  fears  of  wrath,  which  by  representing 
God  as  an  implacable  enemy,  drive  us  from  his  pre- 
sence, and  render  him  an  object  of  terror  and  aversion, 
rather  than  of  desire  and  love. 

This  personal  application  of  the  blood  of  sprinkling 
is  too  commonly  considered  in  the  light  of  a  ^privilege, 
rather  than  as  a  duty.  And  a  privilege  it  surely  is ;  but 
such  a  privilege  as  we  are  strictly  bound  in  duty  to  make 
use  of:  For  this,  saith  the  apostle  John,  is  the  command 
of  God,  that  ice  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ;  which  certainly  includes  more  than  a 
general  persuasion,  however  full  and  assured,  that  Je- 
sus is  a  necessary  and  sufficient  Saviour.  It  can  mean 
no  less,  than  that  they  to  whom  the  command  is  given, 
should  believe  on  the  name  of  Chris^for  themselves,  and 
put  their  trust  in  him,  as  one  who  is  both  willing  and 
able  to  save  them  in  particular. 

But  the  question  may  be  put,  and  it  hath  been  put  by 
many.  How  am  1  to  know  that  this  obliging  command 
is  addressed  to  me?  It  might  suffice  for  an  answer,  to 
desire  those  who  ask  the  question,  to  turn  over  to  that 
part  of  Scripture  where  the  words  I  have  just  now  quo- 
ted are  recorded,  1  John  iii.  23.  There  it  is  written, 
"  This  is  his  commandment,  tliat  we  should  believe  on 
the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another, 
as  he  gave  his  commandment." 

Now,  nobody  doubts,  that  the  last  of  these  precepts 
extends  to  him ;  and  yet  the  same  authority  which  enjoins 
mutual  love,  commands  us  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  and  the  Apostle  you  see,  unites  them  both  in  one 
sentence.  How  comes  it,  then,  that  any  should  make  a 
difference  between  the  two,  in  point  either  of  extent  or 
obligation,  or  limit  the  one  commandment  any  more  than 
the  other. 


398  SERMON  XXVI. 

But  as  this  is  a  diflBculty  with  which  tlie  truly  serious 
only  are  apt  to  be  distressed,  I  must  not  stop  here,  but 
beg  them  to  consider,  whether  it  would  not  be  more  rea- 
sonable to  put  the  question  in  this  form.  How  do  1  know, 
or  rather,  What  ground  can  I  find  to  suspect,  that  the 
commandment  to  believe  on  the  Saviour,  doth  not  ex- 
tend to  me?  It  is  undeniable,  tliat  none  of  the  human 
race  are  excepted  by  name ;  the  invitation  or  call  is  ad- 
dressed to  men  indefinitely  :  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth." — "  Unto  you,  O  men, 
I  call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men."  Say,  then, 
my  friends,  under  what  fatal  denomination  can  you  find 
yourselves  excluded  from  the  fountain  opened  for  sin 
and  for  uncleanness?  Surely  not  as  sinners  ;  for  this  de- 
nomination is  common  to  all  men,  and  ^'  Christ  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance;" 
this  was  his  very  errand,  "  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost."  Neither  can  it  be  as  great  sinners; 
for  Paul  testifies,  that  Christ  came  to  save  the  chief  oi 
sinners.  "  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;"  and  many 
examples  are  recorded  of  the  most  infamous  transgres- 
sors, who  have  been  washed,  and  sanctified,  and  justi- 
fied, in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  tlie  spirit  of 
our  God.  Much  less  then  can  it  be  as  deeply-convinced 
and  self- condemning  sinners ;  for  under  this  denomina- 
tion you  are  expressly  invited  to  have  recourse  to  him : 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."  The  commission  he  received 
was  to  bind  up  tlie  broken-hearted,  to  bring  forth  the 
prisoners  out  of  tiie  prison-house,  and  to  comfort  those 
tliat  mourn.  Are  you  wretched,  miserable,  jjoor,  blind, 
andndked?  Such  precisely  was  the  state  of  the  Laodi- 
ceans,  with  this  only  difference,  from  whence  no  dis- 
couraging inference  can  be  drawn,  that  they  knew  it  not. 


SERMON  XXVI.  399 

whereas  you  do:  yet  even  to  them  were  these  gracious 
words  addressed  by  our  Lord  himself,  (Rev.  iii.  18.)  "I 
counsel  tliee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  tliat  thou 
mayest  be  rich;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be 
clothed;  and  to  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that 
tliou  mayest  see."  Nay,  (which  methinks  should  putaa 
end  to  all  further  questioning  upon  this  head)  the  epistle 
directed  to  them  concludes  with  that  unlimited  offer  of 
gospel-grace,  which  might  justly  be  introduced  with  a 
note  of  admiration,    ^*  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock ;   if  any  man  will  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the 
door,  1  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he 
with  me.'*'  Beware  then  of  setting  bounds  where  God 
hath  set  none.  If  you  feel  your  need  of  Christ  as  the  oiihj 
Saviour;  if  your  eyes  have  been  so  far  opened,  as  to  see 
that  he  is  worthy  to  be  depended  upon,  and   "  mighty 
to  save,"  let  no  objections  drawn  from  your  own  un wor- 
thiness, which,  under  the  covert  and   semblance  of  hu- 
mility, hides  the  daring  presumption  of  giving  God  the 
lie,  keep  you  back  from  this  great  High-Priest,  or  pre- 
vent your  application  of  his  atoning  blood,  for  sjprink- 
ling  your  hearts  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  introdu- 
cing you  into  the  holiest  with  filial  boldness,  by  that  new 
and  living   ivay  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  you, 
through  the  vail  of  his  flesh. 

What  the  Apostle  subjoins,  having  our  bodies  wash- 
ed with  'pure  ivater,  may  allude  to  tliose  purifications  en- 
joined by  the  law,  which  served  to  remind  the  Jews  of 
the  unspotted  holiness  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  of  that 
reverence  which  ought  to  possess  their  minds  in  all  tlieir 
approaches  to  his  gracious  presence ;  though  I  cannot 
help  thinking,  Uiat  these  words  were  intended  by  the 
Apostle  to  introduce  a  new  exhortation ;  and  ought  there- 
fore to  be  transferred  to  the  following  verse:  in  which 


400  SERMON  XXVI. 

case,  without  any  straining,  they  obviously  apply  to  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  and  are  urged,  with  great  proprie- 
ty, to  enforce  a  steadfast,  unwavering  adherence  to  that 
faith  which  the  converted  Hebrews  had  professed  with 
such  solemnity,  when,  at  their  admission  into  the  church 
of  Christ,  their  bodies  were  washed  with  pure  water,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

But  I  shall  not  detain  you  any  longer  from  the  proper 
business  of  the  day.  Only  let  me  call  upon  you,  before 
I  conclude,  to  look  up  to  this  great  High-Priest  over  the 
house  of  God,  for  that  Holy  Spirit,  vi'ithout  whom  nei- 
ther sermons  nor  sacraments  have  any  virtue  or  eifieacy. 
It  is  he  alone  that  can  bestow  upon  us  the  qualifications 
here  required.  Let  each  of  us  then  plead  the  promise  of 
the  Father,  begging,  that  the  Spirit  of  all  grace  may  be 
given,  "  to  take  of  the  things  of  Christ's,  and  to  shew 
ihem  unto  us;"  that  from  just  views  of  our  High-Priest, 
and  of  the  new  and  living  way  he  hath  consecrated  for 
us  by  his  blood,  we  may  be  enabled  to  draw  near  to  God 
with  true  hearts,  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith;  and  re- 
ceive such  tokens  of  his  love  while  we  sit  at  his  table,  as 
shall  be  an  earnest  and  pledge  to  us,  of  that  still  more 
near  and  joyful  approach  to  him  in  the  heavenly  sanc- 
tuary ;  where  we  shall  no  more  see  him  in  the  glass  of 
ordinances,  but  face  to  face ;  where  we  shall  be  thorough- 
ly changed  into  his  image,  and  enjoy  him  fully,  without 
interruption,  and  without  end.  timen. 


401 

Romans  v.  10. 

IFor  if,  when  ive  were  enemies,  we  ivere  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  death  of  his  Son  ;  much  more  being  re- 
conciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life. 


1  HE  grounds  of  a  Christian's  faith  and  hope  are  not 
only  sufficient  to  satisfy  his  own  mind,  but  capable  like- 
■\vise  of  being  described  and  vindicated,  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  cannot  fail  to  give  full  satisfaction  to  every  sober, 
unprejudiced  inquirer. 

Genuine  Christianity  is  far  from  declining  any  means 
of  trial,  whereby  truth  is  distinguished  from  delusion  or 
imposture:  on  the  contrary,  it  courts  the  light;  and  the 
more  severely  it  is  tried,  the  brighter  it  shines :  "  The 
words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words,  like  silver  tried  in  a 
furnace  of  earth,  and  purified  seven  times."  The  evi- 
dence by  which  our  faith  and  hope  are  supported  hath 
already  stood  the  test  of  many  generations ;  and  the  most 
violent  attacks  of  its  enemies,  instead  of  shaking  the  foun- 
dation, have  only  served  to  show  that  it  is  laid  by  that 
same  Almighty  Hand  which  created  and  upholdeth  these 
heavens  and  this  earth.  Nay,  these  heavens,  and  this 
earth,  shall  at  length  pass  away;  but  one  jot  or  one  tiftle, 
in  these  lively  oracles  of  wisdom  and  truth,  shall  in  no 
wise  pass  away  till  all  be  fulfilled. 

The  privileges  of  a  Christian  are  not  a  picture  drawn 
by  fancy,  neither  doth  his  comfort  takes  its  rise  from 
those  inexplicable  impressions  to  which  the  dreaming 
enthusiast  is  constrained  to  resort.    The  intelligent  be- 

VOL.  I.  3  c 


40S  SERMON  XXVII. 

liever  stands  upon  firm  ground,  and  is  always  "  ready 
to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketli  him  a  rea- 
son of  tlie  hope  that  is  in  him." 

Do  you  inquire  into  the  object  of  liis  hope,  he  will 
tell  you  without  hesitation,  that  he  looks  for  a  portion 
after  death;  in  comparison  whereof,  tliis  earth  which  we 
inhabit,  and  all  that  it  contains,  shrink  into  nothing,  yea, 
less  than  nothing,  and  vanity. 

Whatever  we  behold  in  this  material  world  hath  the 
seeds  of  dissolution  sown  in  its  very  nature.  Our  bodies 
themselves  are  only  tabernacles  of  clay,  which  ere  long 
shall  be  crumbled  into  dust,  and  see  corruption. 

Here  we  breathe,  as  it  were,  in  the  midst  of  contagion 
and  defilement ;  and  the  best  things  we  enjoy  are  liable 
to  be  perverted,  either  into  the  instruments  or  occasions 
of  sin.  Honour  tempteth  to  pride,  power  to  oppression, 
and  affluence  to  sensuality  and  criminal  indulgence. 
Few,  comparatively  speaking,  can  carry  with  an  even 
and  steady  hand  the  full  cup  of  prosperity  any  length 
of  way;  like  Jeshurun,  they  are  apt  to  kick  when  they 
wax  fat,  and  lightly  to  esteem  the  Rock  of  their  salva- 
tion. 

Nay,  though  they  should  escape  the  pollution  of  these 
earthly  enjoyments,  by  using  them  with  moderation,  and 
employing  them  to  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  de- 
signed ;  yet  so  precarious  and  fugitive  are  all  sublunary 
things,  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  promise  upon 
their  continuance.  Who  can  say,  "My  mountain  stand- 
cth  strong,  I  shall  never  be  moved?''  Can  any  man 
guard  himself  at  all  times  against  secret  fraud  and  open 
violence?  Nay,  every  element,  the  wind,  the  fire,  the 
water,  may  in  a  moment  be  armed  with  sufficient  force 
to  make  the  unwelcome  separation  betwixt  us  and  the 
best  of  our  worldly  possessions. — Thus  corruptible  and 


SERMON  XXVII.  403 

defiled,  thus  uncertain  and  transitory,  is  all  that  is  most 
admired  and  courted  here  below. 

Not  so  the  portion  of  the  saints ;  the  inheritance  they 
look  for  is  "  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  fadeth  not 
away."  As  it  hath  no  principle  of  decay  within  itself, 
so  neither  can  it  be  wasted  by  any  thing  from  without. 
It  is  "  reserved,"  or  laid  up,  "  for  them  in  heaven :"  a 
place  of  absolute  safety,  beyond  the  reach  of  every  ad- 
verse power,  and  equally  secured  against  deceit  and  ra- 
pine. There  is  no  thief  to  steal,  no  spoiler  to  lay  waste. 
In  those  regions  of  perfect  light  and  love,  no  such  pite- 
ous complaints  are  heard  as  these, — "  My  bowels !  my 
bowels !  I  am  pained  at  my  very  heart,  because  thou  hast 
heard,  O  my  soul!  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  the 
alarm  of  war."  All  above  is  order  and  harmony;  there 
is  notliing  to  hurt,  nothing  to  destroy,  through  the  whole 
extent  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  that  imperial  seat  of 
Zion's  King. — Such,  can  the  believer  say,  is  the  object 
of  my  hope. 

Do  you  inquire  into  the  grounds  of  his  hope,  he  hath 
an  answer  ready  in  the  words  of  my  text,  and  can  say 
with  the  apostle  Paul, — If,  when  we  were  enemies^  we 
were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son;  much 
more  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life. 

Here  the  reasoning  is  at  once  profound  and  obvious ; 
it  is  simple  and  ingenious  at  the  same  time:  so  simple 
and  obvious,  that  the  mind,  with  one  glance,  perceives 
its  force,  and  is  satisfied ;  so  profound  and  ingenious, 
that  the  more  accurately  it  is  examined,  the  more  con- 
clusive it  will  appear. 

From  the  efficacy  of  Christ's  death,  which  the  Apnsllc 
had  proved  at  large  in  the  foregoing  part  of  this  epistle, 
he  infers,  in  this  passage,  the  superior  efficacy  of  his  re- 
stored life:  I  say,  his  restored  life ;  for  the  life  here  re- 


404  SERMON  XXVII. 

ferred  to,  was  not  that  life  previous  to  his  crucifixion, 
which  he  led  upon  earth  in  the  form  of  a  servant;  but 
the  life  he  now  lives  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  where  he 
is  exalted  to  the  throne  as  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour, 
*'  having  a  name  given  him  above  every  name,  that  at 
the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  and  every 
tongue  confess,  that  he  is  the  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God 
the  Fatlier." 

Two  comparisons  are  here  stated  ;  the  one  betwixt 
the  past  and  present  slate  of  believers  ;  formerly  they 
were  enemies  to  God,  now  they  are  become  friends. 
The  other  comparison  is  betwixt  the  past  and  present 
condition  of  the  Saviour ;  once  he  was  dead,  now  he  is 
alive.  And  the  proposition  that  connects  the  two  is  this, 
That  reconciliation  to  God  was  entirely  owing  to  the 
death  of  Christ,  as  the  meritorious  procuring  cause. 
These  are  the  premises  from  whence  the  Apostle  draws 
his  conclusion,  and  proves,  with  demonstrative  evidence, 
the  absolute  certainty  of  the  complete  and  everlasting 
salvation  of  believers. 

The  only  principle  he  assumes,  is  what  every  one 
must  admit  as  soon  as  it  is  mentioned,  viz.  that  recon- 
ciliation to  an  enemy  is  a  more  difficult  exercise  of 
goodness  than  beneficence  to  a  friend.  Upon  which  he 
thus  reasons,  That  if  the  death  of  Christ  had  sufficient 
virtue  to  produce  the  greater  effect,  viz.  reconciliation 
to  those  who  formerly  were  enemies,  there  can  be  no 
room  to  doubt  that  the  life  of  Clirist,  which  is  a  more 
powerful  cause,  must  be  sufficient  to  produce  the  lesser 
effect;  lesser  I  mean  in  point  of  difficulty,  namely,  the 
continuance  of  the  divine  friendship  and  beneficence  to 
those  whom  his  death  hath  reconciled,  till  he  bring  tliem 
in  due  time  to  the  full  possession  of  the  purchased  in- 
heritance. 


SERMON  XXVII.  405 

Say  then,  my  brethren,  may  not  the  hope  of  a  Chris- 
tian be  justly  denominated  a  rational  hope,  or,  as  the 
Apostle  terms  it,  (verse  5.)  *'ahope  that  makcth  not 
ashamed?"  And  may  not  the  believer  reply,  with  ln»ly 
exultation,  to  every  one  that  askelh  him  a  reason  of  tlie 
hope  that  is  in  him,  Tf,  ichen  I  was  an  enemy y  I  was  re- 
conciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more  he- 
in^  reconciled,  I  shall  he  saved  hy  his  life:  his  death 
was  the  price  of  the  inheritance  I  look  for;  and  his  re^ 
stored  life  is  my  evidence  that  the  price  was  accepted, 
and  the  purchase  made.  This  renders  my  hope  assured 
and  vigorous.  Did  it  depend  upon  any  thing  in  myself, 
on  the  strength,  or  wisdom,  or  worthiness,  of  the  crea- 
ture,  it  would  quickly  languish  and  die  ;  but  as  it  leans 
upon  him  who  rose  from  the  grave  to  die  no  more,  who 
ascended  up  on  high,  leading  captivity  captive,  and  is 
now  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  it  is  become  "  an 
anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast:"  for  the  Fa- 
ther raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory,  for 
this  very  end,  that  every  ground  of  jealousy  I)cing  re- 
moved, my  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  God.  1  Pet.  i.  21. 

It  must  already  have  occurred  to  you,  that  none  can 
apply  this  reasoning  to  themselves,  but  those  vvlio  are 
previously  reconciled  to  God  hy  the  death  of  his  Son. 
Here  begins  the  hope  of  a  sinner;  and  here  likewise 
must  I  begin  to  bring  the  subject  home  to  our  own  hearts, 
by  inquiring,  who  among  us  can  say  that  we  have  ex- 
perienced  tiiis  blessed  fruit  of  the  Redeemer's  death? 

And  for  our  assistance  in  this  important  trial,  I  shall 
endeavour,  in  few  words,  to  mark  out  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal steps,  by  which  the  soul  is  most  usually  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  unto  a  vital  union  wilh  the  Lord  Jrsns 
Christ;  who  of  God  is  made  unto  all  that  believe  in 
him,  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and 
redemption. 


406  SERMON  XXVII. 

A  deep  conviction  of  guilt  and  misery  doth  certainly 
lie  at  the  root  of  this  important  change.  The  sinner 
seeth  himself  to  be  all  pollution,  naked,  and  defence- 
less, having  notliing  to  screen  him  from  the  wrath  of 
that  x\imighty  Being  whom  he  hath  oifended.  This  con- 
strains him  to  look  about  for  deliverance.  The  wrath  of 
God  is  intolerable :  he  cannot  dwell  with  devouring 
flames,  he  cannot  lie  down  in  everlasting  burnings; 
and  though  he  is  conscious  that  he  hath  justly  merited 
this  misery,  yet  self-preservation,  that  strong  principle 
implanted  in  his  nature  by  the  great  Author  of  his  being, 
obligeth  him  to  ask  the  question,  Is  there  no  hope? 

Here,  indeed,  many  steal  away  from  under  their  bur- 
den, take  shelter  in  some  refuge  of  lies,  and  encompass 
themselves  about  with  sparks  of  their  own  kindling; 
but  the  sinner  that  is  under  the  conduct  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  (and  of  such  only  I  at  present  speak),  the  more  he 
considers  his  case,  the  more  hopeless  and  desperate  he 
fiudeth  it  to  be.  He  indeed  asketh  the  question.  What 
shall  I  do?  but  feeling  his  impotence,  answers,  1  can  do 
nothing ;  or  thougli  I  could  do  any  thing,  yet  what  would 
it  avail  me?  Can  the  duty  I  owe  at  present  make  any 
reparation  for  the  offences  that  are  past?  Will  forbear- 
ing to  contract  new  debt  intitle  me  to  a  discharge  of  the 
old  ?  Impossible !  In  short,  when  he  casts  his  eyes  abroad 
throughout  the  whole  creation,  he  can  find  nothing  at  all 
to  lean  upon  for  deliverance.  And  thus,  as  the  Apostle 
cxpresseth  it,  (Gal.  iii.  23.)  he  is  "  shut  up  unto  the 
faith,"  hedged  about,  as  it  were,  on  every  side;  so  that 
neither  himself,  nor  any  other  creature,  can  make  a  way 
for  his  escape. 

Being  reduced  to  this  condition,  he  listens  with  ea- 
gerness to  the  tidings  of  a  Saviour.  The  name  Jesus 
hath  a  different  sound  to  him  than  ever  it  had  before ; 


SERMON  XXVII.  407 

and  his  very  heart  leaps  within  him,  when  he  hears  that 
"  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them."  But  he  can- 
not rest  satisfied  with  a  general  account  of  this  matter. 
As  his  danger  is  real  and  pressing,  he  seeks  a  clear 
discovery  of  the  method  of  deliverance.  Felt  distress 
breeds  concern  and  anxiety;  a  self-condemned  criminal 
cannot  quiet  his  mind  with  the  bare  probability  of  a  par- 
don :  he  therefore  narrowly  pries  into  the  authority,  the 
character,  and  the  ability,  of  the  Saviour.  He  looks  in- 
to his  commission,  and  is  wonderfully  pleased  to  read 
such  a  plain  declaration  as  this,  (Isa.  xlii.  6, 7.)  <<  I  the 
Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  will  hold 
thine  hand,  and  will  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  co- 
venant of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles ;  to  open 
the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prisoners  from  the  prison, 
and  them  that  sit  in  darkness  out  of  the  prison-house.'' 
He  rejoiceth  to  hear  the  Father  himself  proclaiming 
with  an  audible  voice  from  heaven,  first  at  his  baptism, 
and  afterwards  at  his  transfiguration,  "  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  He  then  pro- 
ceeds to  consider  his  admirable  fitness  for  the  office  and 
work  of  a  Saviour,  as  being  the  eternal  Word  made 
flesh,  Emmanuel,  God  in  our  nature.  He  reviews  the 
whole  history  of  his  actions  and  sufferings ;  sees  him  of- 
fering up  the  sacrifice  to  divine  justice;  hears  him  cry 
on  the  cross,  "  It  is  finished ;"  behold  him  rising  from 
the  grave  in  testimony  of  the  divine  acceptance,  ascend- 
ing up  on  high  to  receive  the  kingdom,  where  he  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  transgressors,  and  to  dis- 
pense the  gifts  he  purchased  with  his  blood,  having  all 
power  committed  to  him  in  heaven  and  on  earth ;  from 
all  which  he  discovers  abundant  reason  to  conclude, 
that  "  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him." 


408  SERMOxX  xxvn. 

Having  thus  found  a  Saviour  exactly  suited  to  his 
necessities,  he  now  begins  to  conceive  some  hope;  he 
sees  a  possibility  of  obtaining  salvali.m  ;  and  is  satisfied, 
that  if  tiiis  Saviour  will  undertake  his  cause,  he  hatli  no 
reason  to  despair;  he  therefore  anxiously  inquires,  how, 
or  by  what  means,  he  may  procure  his  aid,  and  be  ad- 
mitted to  partake  of  the  blessings  he  hath  purchased. 
Here  it  is  that  the  great  adversary  usually  makes  his 
most  vigorous  ejBTorts,  and  puts  forth  all  his  force  and 
artifice,  to  shipwreck  the  poor  soul  on  the  very  shore  of 
salvation.  He  endeavours  to  make  that  consciousness  of 
guilt  which  first  brought  the  sinner  to  see  his  need  of  a 
Saviour,  now  to  appear  an  objection  Pgainst  coming  to 
him  for  deliverance.  He  will  tell  him,  that  though  others 
may  be  forgiven,  yet  surely  he  cannot;  that  the  great- 
ness of  his  sins,  or  his  long  continuance  in  them,  place  him 
beyond  the  reach  of  his  saving  power,  or  at  lea«t  render 
him  an  improper  object  for  his  merciful  interposition. 
Hereby  the  poor  creature  is  either  driven  to  despair,  or 
else  to  a  vain  and  fruitless  search  after  something  in 
himself  to  recommend  him  to  the  Saviour.  And  the  last 
of  these  temptations  is  so  adapted  to  the  pride  of  our 
nature,  wiiich  would  always  have  something  to  boast  of, 
that  with  many  it  proves  too  fatally  successful ;  neither  is 
it  soon,  nor  easily  overcome  by  any.  But  the  soul  that 
is  guided  by  (he  Spirit  of  God,  is  here  led  to  see  the 
extent  and  freedom  of  the  gospel-offer  and  call ;  that  Je- 
sus  is  a  Saviour  for  the  chief  of  sinners;  that  the  wretch- 
ed, the  miserable,  the  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked, 
are  the  very  persons  to  whom  his  gracious  invitations 
and  counsels  are  addressed ;  that  he  interposed  for 
our  relief,  not  because  we  were  worthy  of  his  aid,  but 
because  we  needed  his  aid ;  and  that  a  sense  of  extreme 
need,  accompanied  with  a  humble  and  thankful  accep- 


SERMON  XXVII.  409 

tance  of  the  unspeakable  gift  of  God  to  men,  is  all  that 
is  looked  for  on  the  part  of  the  creature. 

Upon  this  the  sinner,  renouncing  his  own  righteous- 
ness as  filthy  rags,  or,  as  it  is  elsewhere  expressed, 
'Miaving  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,"  comes  to  him, 
judging  and  condemning  himself,  without  any  plea  but 
his  extreme  necessity,  and  the  infinite  and  undeserved, 
mercy  of  God ;  having  no  answer  to  the  law,  but  the 
merit  of  Christ's  obedience  unto  death,  nor  any  other 
shelter  from  avenging  justice.  This  is  what  the  Apos- 
tle, in  the  verse  following  my  text,  calls  receiving  the 
atonement ;  because  then  the  sinner  is  made  a  partaker 
of  Christ's  sacrifice,  his  peace-speaking  blood  is  sprink- 
led upon  him,  and  covers  him  so  entirely,  that  from 
head  to  foot,  if  I  may  use  that  expression,  no  part  of  him 
is  left  exposed  to  that  fiery  indignation  which  shall  final- 
ly consume  all  the  adversaries  of  God. 

And  now  let  me  ask.  Who  among  you  can  say  thai 
you  have  experienced  such  a  work  of  grace  upon  your 
hearts? — For  the  just  encouragement  of  those  who  are 
thus  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  I  shall, 
in  further  illustration  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning,  endea- 
vour to  show  the  powerful  influence  of  the  life  of  Christ 
upon  every  thing  that  belongs  to  their  complete  salvation. 

ist.  The  justification  of  believers,  which  was  pur- 
chased by  the  death  of  Christ,  is  rendered  sure  and  per- 
manent by  his  restored  life.  Upon  this  the  Apostle  lays 
a  peculiar  emphasis,  (Rom.  viii.  S^.)  where,  in  support 
of  that  triumphant  challenge,  *'  Who  shall  lay  any  thing 
to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?"  having  said,  ^'It  is  Christ 
that  died,"  he  immediately  subjoins,  "yea  rather,  that 
is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

From  whence  can  a  sentence  of  condemnation  pro- 
roL-.  I.  3d 


410L  SERMON  XXVII. 

ceed?  Is  it  not  from  that  very  tlirone  to  which  our  once 
crucified  Redeemer  is  raised,  that  he  may  confer  that 
remission  which  he  purchased  with  his  hlood?  And  now 
that  he  is  entered  into  his  gloiy,  shall  the  indictment  that 
he  nailed  to  his  cross  be  taken  down  from  thence,  and 
put  in  suit  against  those  who,  in  obedience  to  his  Fa- 
ther's command,  liave  fled  to  him  for  refuge?  Impossi- 
ble! As  he  bowed  his  head  upon  the  cross  to  expiate 
our  guilt,  so  he  lifted  it  up  again  when  he  rose  from  the 
grave,  that  he  might  effectually  apply  the  merit  of  his 
sacrifice,  and  obviate  every  charge  that  could  be  brought 
against  his  people. 

"^dly.  The  life  of  Christ  is  no  less  available  to  insure 
the  sanctification  of  all  who  believe  on  him.  For  what 
end  did  he  enter  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  but  that 
from  thence  he  might  send  forth  his  conquering  Spirit 
to  cleanse  and  purify  the  hearts  of  those  whom  he  had 
washed  with  his  blood;  that  as  no  guilt  might  be  left  to 
provoke  the  justice  of  God,  so  neither  should  there  be 
any  defilement  to  offend  his  holiness.  It  is  impossible 
to  doubt,  that  a  Redeemer  in  glory  will  at  length  pre- 
sent to  his  Father  "  a  glorious  church,  without  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  Surely  Christ  is  not  gone 
to  heaven,  to  leave  that  blood  to  run  waste  which  he 
shed  upon  earth,  or  to  be  negligent  in  improving  the 
virtue  of  Ifis  sacrifice.  That  prayer,  '*  Father,  sanctify 
them  through  thy  truth,"  hath  as  loud  a  sound  from  his 
illustrious  throne,  as  it  had  from  the  footstool,  when  he 
was  just  about  to  enter  upon  his  agony  and  sufferings. 
He  did  not  utter  these  words  upon  the  confines  of  his 
kingdom,  to  forget  or  disuse  them  when  he  should  enter 
upon  the  possession  of  it.  What  he  prayed  for  in  his 
humiliation,  he  hath  power  to  dispense  in  his  exalted 
state;  and  he  will  do  it  to  all  who  put  their  trust  in  him; 


SERMON  XXVII.  411 

he  will  gradually  adorn  them  with  the  beauties  of  holi- 
ness, and  keep  them  by  his  power  through  faith  unto 
salvation.  Which  leads  me  to  observe, 

In  the  third  place,  That  the  life  of  Christ  doth  effec- 
tually secure  an  honourable  issue  to  all  the  ajflictions 
and  temptations  of  his  people.  It  is  the  same  person  that 
was  crucified  on  earth,  who  is  now  crowned  with  glory 
in  the  highest  heavens;  and  though  he  dropped  the  infir- 
mities of  that  body  he  had  assumed,  and  left  all  the 
weakness  of  humanity  behind  him  in  the  grave ;  yet  he 
carried  his  pitying  nature  to  the  throne,  and  is  still 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  disposed 
to  help  us  in  every  time  of  need.  "  He  will  not  break 
the  bruised  reed,  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax."  He 
knows  our  frame;  he  remembers  that  we  are  dust;  and 
will  therefore  "  debate  with  us  in  measure,  and  stay  his 
rough  wind  in  the  day  of  his  east  wind." 

And  with  regard  to  temptations,  the  life  of  Christ  af- 
fords the  most  comfortable  assurance,  that  over  these  we 
shall  be  finally  victorious.  He  thatsufi^ered  being  tempt- 
ed, will  certainly  be  disposed  to  succour  those  that  are 
tempted;  and  there  can  be  no  room  to  doubt,  that  he  is 
as  able  as  he  is  willing.  If,  while  in  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, he  defeated  all  the  artifices  of  the  cunning  serpent, 
and  repelled  the  most  violent  attacks  of  the  roaring  lion  ; 
if  in  his  lowest  state  of  abasement,  even  wliile  he  hung 
upon  the  cross,  he  spoiled  princijialities  and  powers, 
making  a  show  of  them  openly;  now  that  all  power  is 
committed  to  him  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  can  he 
want  either  wisdom  or  strength  to  bruise  Satan  under 
the  feet  of  the  weakest  of  his  servants?  Impossible! 
While  the  head  of  the  body  reigns  in  glory,  we  may 
be  well  assured,  that  no  member  can  become  the  prey 
of  any  adverse  power;  so  that  every  believer  may  adopt 


41S  SERMON  XXVII. 

the  language  of  Paul,  and  say  as  he  did,  ^^  Who  sliall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation, 
or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,  or  sword?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more 
than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  1  am 
persuaded,  that  neither  death  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things 
to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature, 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Once  more, 

4ithhj.  Tiie  life  of  Christ  secures  to  his  people  the  re- 
surrection of  their  bodies,  and  the  happiness  of  the 
whole  man,  in  the  full  and  everlasting  enjoyment  of  God. 

As  Adam,  by  his  apostacy,  became  the  source  of  death 
to  all  his  natural  descendants;  so  Christ,  by  his  expia- 
tory suiferings,  and  the  glory  that  followed,  is  become 
the  fountain  of  life  to  all  his  spiritual  oflFspring ;  who 
accordingly  are  said  to  be  ^'  begotten  again  to  the  live- 
ly iiope  of  an  inheritance  that  is  incorruptible,  and  un- 
defiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away;"  and  that  by  means 
of  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  Hence  the  second 
Adam  is  called  a  quickening  Spirit,  having  the  same 
virtue  and  eflRcacy  to  convey  all  the  fulness  of  life  to 
those  who  are  new  born  into  the  family  of  God,  that  the 
first  Adam  had  (o  transmit  death  to  his  posterity.  It  was 
not  the  soul  of  Christ  only,  but  his  body  also,  that  was 
exalted  and  crowned  with  honour:  in  like  manner  shall 
the  bodies  of  believers  be  rescued  from  the  grave,  and 
raised  to  glory,  seeing  these  were  redeemed  by  Christ 
as  well  as  their  souls.  Nay,  the  bodies  of  the  saints  are 
said  expressly  to  be  ^'  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;" 
and  it  cannot  be  supposed,  that  these  temples  shall 
remain  always  under  the  ruins  of  death.  He  who 
honoured  them  with  his  residence,  will  certainly  rebuild 


SERMON  XXVII.  413 

them  in  due  time  ;  as  the  Apostle  reasons,  (Rom.  viii. 
11.)  "  If  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead  dwell  in  you ;  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
dead,  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies,  by  his  Spi- 
rit that  dvvelleth  in  you."  Then  shall  that  song  be  sung 
by  all  the  redeemed  company  newly  raised  from  the 
dust,  "  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."  ''  0  death, 
where  is  now  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  now  thy 
victory?  The  sting  of  death  was  sin,  and  the  strength 
of  sin  was  the  law;  but  thanks  be  unto  God,  who  hath 
no'y  given  us  the  victory  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
Thus  have  I  endeavoured  to  lead  you  through  a  very 
extensive,  but  surely  a  pleasant  and  fruitful  field,  where- 
in a  variety  of  objects  have  occurred,  interesting  to  all, 
and  peculiarly  comfortable  to  the  people  of  God  ;  upon 
whom  I  therefore  call,  in  the  conclusion  of  my  dis- 
course, to  praise  and  magnify  that  compassionate  Sa- 
viour, and  faithful  High-Priest  over  the  house  of  God, 
who  ransomed  them  with  his  blood  ;  and  amidst  all  the 
splendours  of  his  exalted  state,  is  not  unmiudful  of  his 
charge  upon  earth,  but  continually  appears  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God  for  them  ;  whose  ear  is  always  attentive 
to  the  voice  of  their  supplications  ;  whose  mouth  is  ever 
open  to  plead  in  their  behalf;  and  as  if  it  had  not  bi^en 
love  enough  to  die  for  them,  still  lives  and  reigns  for 
them,  and  even  glories  in  being  ^'  the  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of 
him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all."  To  him,  with  the  Father, 
and  quickening  Spirit,  the  one  living  and  true  God,  be 
glory  and  honour,  thanksgiving  and  praise,  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen. 


414* 

HosEA  xiv.  8. 

Ephraim  shall  say,   What  have  I  to  do  any  more 
with  Idols  P 


J  F  we  compare  the  representation  here  given  of  I^^h- 
raim,  with  the  account  we  have  of  him  (ch.  iv.  I7.)  we 
shall  discover  such  a  wonderful  change,  as  must  excite 
in  us  a  desire  to  he  acquainted  with  the  cause  of  it. 
There  it  is  said,  "Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols;"  Here 
we  behold  him  throwing  them  away,  with  every  symp- 
tom of  contempt  and  abhorrence.  Like  a  man  awakened 
from  a  dream,  or  rather  like  one  who  had  lost  his  rea- 
son, and  was  now  restored  to  the  right  use  of  it,  he  saith, 
What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  P — It  is  my  dis- 
grace, no  less  than  my  crime,  that  ever  I  had  any  thing 
to  do  with  such  lying  vanities ;  but  now  I  cast  them  from 
me  with  scorn  and  detestation,  and  with  a  determined 
purpose,  that  I  shall  never  henceforth  return  to  them 
any  more. 

How  is  this  surprising  change  to  be  accounted  for? 
When  God  said,  '^  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols,"  he  im- 
mediately pronounced  that  awful  decree,  "  Let  hira 
alone."  Hereby  a  restraint  was  laid  upon  every  out- 
ward instrument.  All  the  creatures  were  charged,  by 
the  highest  authority,  to  give  him  no  disturbance  in  the 
course  of  his  idolatry,  but  to  leave  him  entirely  to  his 
own  conduct,  and  the  unabated  influence  of  the  idols  he 
had  chosen.    By  what  means   then  was    his  recovery 


SERMON  XXVIIl.  4,£5 

brought  about?  Had  Epiiraim  the  honour  to  discover 
the  delusion  by  his  own  sagacity,  and  to  break  the  en- 
chantment by  his  own  strength?  We  find  an  answer  to 
these  questions,  (chap.  xiii.  9.)  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast  de- 
stroyed thyself,  but  in  mk  is  thy  help."  Had  God  said, 
I  am  determined  to  let  Ephraim  alone,  there  would 
have  been  an  end  of  him  at  once,  though  the  whole  cre- 
ation had  been  left  at  liberty  to  exert  its  utmost  activity 
for  his  help ;  but  it  deserves  our  notice,  that  though  God 
laid  a  restraint  upon  the  agency  of  the  creatures,  yet  he 
laid  no  restraint  upon  his  own,  but  reserved  to  himself 
the  full  exercise  of  his  essential  and  unalienable  prero- 
gative, to  be  the  free  and  sovereign  disposer  of  his  grace. 
In  this  ciiaracter  he  is  introduced  at  the  first  verse  of 
this  chapter,  where  he  issues  forth  his  royal  command, 
and  clothes  it  with  power :  "  O  Israel,  return  unto  the 
Lord  thy  God,  for  thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity.'^ 
In  order  to  encourage  their  hope  of  acceptance,  he  teach- 
eth  them  in  the  following  verses  how  to  pray,  and  even 
dictates  the  very  form  of  surrender  they  were  to  make; 
"  Take  with  you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord ;  say  un- 
to him.  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  gracious- 
ly; so  will  we  render  the  calves  of  our  lips.  Ashur 
shall  not  save  us,  we  will  not  ride  upon  horses,  neither 
will  we  say  any  more  to  the  works  of  our  hands.  Ye 
are  our  gods  ;  for  in  tiiee  the  fatherless  findeth  mercy." 
After  which,  to  remove  that  distrust  and  jealousy  which 
necessarily  spring  from  a  consciousness  of  guilt,  he  goes 
on  to  declare  his  sovereign  purpose,  expressed  in  the 
most  comprehensive  and  absolute  terms,  of  dispensing 
to  them,  and  conferring  upon  them,  his  pardoning  mer- 
cy and  sanctifying  grace :  "  I  will  heal  their  backslid- 
ing, I  will  love  them  freely ;  for  mine  anger  is  turned 
away  from  him.  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel,"  &c. 


4,16  SERMON  XXVIII. 

In  consequence  whereof,  he  foretels,  in  the  words  of 
my  text,  that  Ephraim,  who,  till  then,  had  been  joined 
to  idols,  should  find  himself  disposed  and  enabled  to 
say,  not  with  his  lips  only,  but  from  an  effectual  prin- 
ciple of  new  life  in  his  heart,  What  have  I  to  do  with 
idols  any  more? 

From  this  view  of  ray  text,  as  it  stands  connected 
with  other  passages  in  this  book  that  relate  to  Ephraim, 
and  more  especially  with  the  verses  immediately  pre- 
ceding, four  observations  obviously  arise,  which  1  pro- 
pose to  illustrate  in  the  following  discourse. 

1.  That  a  sinner,  in  his  natural  state,  is  joined  to  idols. 

3.  That  to  separate  a  sinner  from  idols,  is  a  work  that 
is  altogether  peculiar  to  God. 

3.  That  this  separation  is  effected  by  the  discovery 
and  application  of  pardoning  mercy  and  sanctifying 
grace.  And, 

4.  That  every  one  who  is  a  partaker  of  these  impor- 
tant benefits  will,  and  must,  adopt  the  words  of  Ephraim 
in  their  most  extensive  meaning,  and  say,  as  he  did, 
What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ? 

I.  My  first  observation  is,  That  a  sinner,  in  his  natu- 
ral state,  is  joined  to  idols. 

Herein  consisteth  the  essence  of  man^s  apostacy. 
Something  that  is  not  God  is  the  object  of  his  supreme 
love,  and  possesseth  that  place  in  his  heart  which  is  due 
only  to  the  living  an<l  true  God ;  and  that  thing,  by  what 
name  soever  it  may  be  distinguished,  is  properly  an  idol. 
Now  this  world,  and  the  things  of  the  world,  its  riches 
and  pleasures,  and  honours,  which  the  apostle  John,  by 
a  strong  and  significant  figure,  calls  "  the  lust  of  the 
eye,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of  life ;"  these 
arc  the  great  rivals  of  God,  which,  ever  since  the  fatal 
apostacy,  have  usurped  the  throne  in  the  human  heart. 


SERMON  XXVIII.  417 

I  am  unwilling  to  mention  the  profane  rites  by  which 
some  of  these  idols  are  worshipped  by  many ;  they  are 
too  shocking  to  be  named,  and,  at  the  same  time,  so  no- 
torious as  to  render  a  detail  of  them  superfluous.  It  is 
by  no  means  necessary  for  proving  the  charge  of  idola- 
try, that  I  should  lead  your  imaginatiou  through  the  va- 
rious scenes  of  injustice,  oppression,  and  cruelty,  or  into 
the  foul  haunts  of  lewdness  and  riotous  excess.  Many 
of  these  vices  may  be  deemed  unnatural  to  man  even  ia 
his  fallen  state;  and  though  the  carnal  mind  may  be  en- 
mity against  God,  yet  I  am  verily  persuaded,  that  the 
carnal  mind  itself  doth  often  suffer  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  violence,  before  it  can  be  fully  reconciled  to  the 
practice  of  them.  It  is  sufficient  for  my  purpose  to  affirm^ 
what  daily  observation  puts  beyond  all  doubt,  viz.  that 
this  present  world,  in  one  shape  or  other,  is  loved  and 
served  in  preference  to  God,  by  every  man,  without  ex- 
ception, who  hath  no  other  principle  of  life  than  what  he 
derived  from  the  first  Adam.  Here  he  finds  the  supply 
of  his  bodily  wants,  and  all  that  kind  of  provision  that 
suits  his  animal  nature,  and  gratifies  those  appetites 
which  he  hath  in  common  with  the  inferior  creatures. 
And  though  he  is  often,  or  rather  always,  disappointed 
in  his  expectation;  yet,  being  unacquainted  with  any 
better  sustenance  than  this  earth  alfords,  he  only  makes 
new  experiments,  persists  in  seeking  his  portion  here 
below,  and  will  continue  to  do  so,  till,  by  some  means 
or  other,  he  get  a  mind  to  discern  those  spiritual  objects, 
and  an  appetite  to  relish  those  spiritual  enjoyments, 
which  are  the  proper  food  of  the  soul,  the  only  aliment 
whereby  its  real  life  and  well-being  can  be  supported. 
Hence  it  already  appears,  in  some  measure, 

II.  That  to  separate  a  sinner  from  idols,  must  be 

VOL.  r.  3  E 


4,lg  SERMON  XXVIII. 

the  peculiar  work  of  God  himself;  which  was  the  se- 
cond observation  I  proposed  to  illustrate. 

The  natural  man,  as  I  just  now  said,  may  change  the 
object  of  his  devotion ;  and  having  experienced  the  vani- 
ty of  any  particular  idol,  he  may  say  concerning  it, 
^^  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  thee  ?"  Such  a 
change  as  this  is  abundantly  common,  it  is  easy,  nay  it 
is  necessary:  it  requires  no  exertion  of  strength;  weak- 
ness itself  is  sufficient  to  produce  it,  being  no  other 
than  the  natural,  the  unavoidable,  consequence  of  satie- 
ty and  disgust.  But  amidst  ten  thousand  changes  of  this 
kind,  the  man  is  only  turning  from  one  idol  to  another; 
and  though  he  may  pass  from  grosser  ones  to  others 
more  refined ;  from  mere  bodily  indulgence  to  the  amuse- 
ments of  science ;  or,  perhaps,  from  the  gratification  of 
selfish  and  turbulent  passions  to  the  cultivation  and 
practice  of  some  public  and  social  virtues ;  yet  still  ha 
stops  short  of  God :  all  the  objects  of  his  pursuit  belong 
to  the  present  state  of  things ;  and  he  aspires  to  no  high- 
er felicity  than  may  be  gathered  from  the  materials  of 
this  earth  which  he  inhabits. 

Accordingly,  the  conversion  of  a  sinner,  or  the  turn- 
ing him  from  idols  to  the  true  God,  is  every  vi^here 
throughout  the  Scriptures  represenle<l  as  the  effect  of 
omnipotent  creating  power.  It  is  called  a  new  creation, 
a  being  born  again,  a  resurrection,  a  yassing  from 
death  to  life.  Nor  are  these  expressions  metaphorical, 
but  strictly  just;  they  are  the  words  not  of  truth  only, 
but  of  soberness.  The  apostate  creature  is  really  dead, 
in  the  truest  and  most  important  sense  of  that  word.  For 
what  is  natural  death,  as  it  is  commonly  styled?  The 
soul,  when  separated  from  the  body,  doth  not  cease  to 
exist ;  and  though  the  body  itself  moulders  into  dust, 
yet  no  particle  of  that  dust  is  annihilated  or  lost.  The 


SERMON  XXVIII.  4i9 

principal  effect  of  that  humiliating  event,  is  to  put  an 
end  to  the  creature's  connexion  with  a  present  world ; 
the  man  ceases  to  be  any  more  an  inhabitant  of  this 
earth ;  and  when  we  say  he  is  dead,  this  is  all  we  com- 
monly mean  to  express. 

Now  sin  hath  broken  our  connexion  with  the  spiritual 
world,  as  really  as  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  the 
body  will  break  our  connexion  with  this  material  world ; 
and  therefore,  without  any  metaphor,  sin  is  the  death  of 
the  soul  or  spirit  of  the  man,  whereby  it  is  cut  off  from 
the  source  of  life,  and  utterly  disabled  to  relish  those  em- 
ployments or  pleasures  which  alone  can  render  a  spi- 
ritual being  happy.  And  in  this  state  it  must  remain,  till 
the  same  power  that  gave  it  existence  at  first  shall  cre- 
ate it  anew,  and  restore  those  faculties  which  sin  had 
destroyed,  of  acting  and  enjoying  according  to  its  true 
and  proper  nature. 

The  use  of  this  observation  is  twofold ;  firstf  That 
those  who  are  turned  from  idols  may,  with  humble  gra- 
titude, give  God  the  glory,  and  cheerfully  trust  in  him 
for  perfecting  the  change  his  grace  hath  begun ;  and, 
secondly.  That  they  who  are  conscious  that  they  are  still 
joined  to  idols,  may  immediately,  and  without  any  cir- 
cuit, go  directly  to  the  Fountain  of  life,  even  the  Father 
of  spirits,  who  is  in  Christ  Jesus  reconciling  the  world 
unto  himself,  and  cry  as  they  can,  for  new  life,  from  him 
who  quickeneth  the  dead,  and  calleth  those  things  that 
be  not  as  though  they  were. 

But  how  doth  God  quicken  the  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins,  and  separate  the  sinner  from  his  idols? 

III.  My  third  observation  is  the  answer  to  this 
question.  He  doth  it  by  the  discovery  and  application 
of  his  pardoning  mercy  and  sanctifying  grace.  1  join 
these  together,  because  they  are  so  inseparably  connect 


42©  SERMON  XXVIII. 

ed,  that  neither  of  them  can  exist  apart;  '*  for  whom 
God  justifies,  them  he  also  sanctifies."  And  both  of  them 
are  expressly  mentioned  in  the  context,  as  the  means 
by  which  Ephraira  should  be  disposed  and  enabled  to 
say,  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  P 

The  discovery  of  pardoning  mercy  is  the  first  means 
employed  for  working  this  change.  Fear  is  the  immedi- 
ate consequence  of  guilt,  which  soon  degenerates  into 
batred,  or  that  enmity  against  God  which  is  the  distin- 
guishing characteristic  of  the  carnal  mind.  No  sooner 
had  Adam  sinned  than  he  became  afraid  of  his  Maker, 
and  preposterously  endeavoured  to  flee  from  his  pre- 
sence. This  fear  is  the  natural  inheritance  of  his  chil- 
dren. God  appears  as  an  enemy  to  the  guilty  soul ;  and 
so  long  as  he  is  viewed  in  that  light,  it  is  impossible  that 
he  can  be  the  object  of  its  love.  But  the  report  of  par- 
doning mercy  presents  him  in  a  light  so  suited  to  the  ne- 
cessities of  the  apostate  creature,  that  in  proportion  as 
it  is  believed,  the  sinner  is  encouraged  to  look  to  him 
with  hope.  And  when  the  evidence  of  this  report  is  so 
fully  seen,  as  to  vanquish  distrustful,  tormenting  fear; 
when  that  blessed  record  gains  entire  credit,  "  that  God 
liath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  that  this  life  is  in  his 
Son,"  whom  he  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood ;  that,  witliout  staining  the 
honour  of  his  justice,  a  way  might  be  opened  for  the 
free  exercise  of  mercy  to  thechief  of  sinners;  then  God 
becomes  the  object  both  of  love  and  confidence,  and  ap- 
pears so  completely  amiable,  that,  in  comparison  of  him, 
those  idols  which  the  soul  formerly  desired,  stripped  of 
their  delusive  charms,  are  regarded  with  contempt,  nay, 
renounced  witli  abliorrence. 

Now,  if  the  believing  views  of  God's  pardoning  mercy 
Ibave  this  (ilSiici,  bow  powerful  must  the  experience  of  it 


SERMON  XXVIII.  421 

be,  when  aeeorapanied,  as  it  always  is,  with  his  sancti- 
fying grace?  When  the  soul  hath  not  only  seen,  but 
tasted,  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  and  that  in  hira  the 
fatherless  findeth  mercy;  when  God  saitli,  (as  in  verse 
Ith)  "  1  will  heal  their  baekslidings,  1  will  love  them 
freely,  for  mine  anger  is  turned  away ;"  especially  when, 
as  it  follows,  he  becomes  "  as  the  dew  unto  Israel," 
causing  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  to  descend  uj)on  the 
soul,  whereby  the  barren  wilderness  is  turned  into  a 
fruitful  field  ;  above  all,  when  the  great  Lord  of  the  vine- 
yard comes  into  his  garden,  to  eat  his  pleasant  fruits ; 
or,  to  drop  the  allusion,  when  the  soul,  washed,  and 
sanctified,  and  justified,  hath  experienced  the  ineffable 
delights  of  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with  tiie 
Son,  through  the  Spirit; — then  the  victory  over  the 
world  is  completed,  and  the  person  will  be  enabled  to 
say  without  any  reserve,  What  have  I  to  do  any  more 
with  idols  P 

IV.  My  fourth  and  last  observation  was,  that  these 
words  of  Ephraim,  in  their  most  extensive  meaning, 
will  and  must  be  adopted  by  all,  without  exception, 
upon  whom  God  hath  been  pleased  to  confer  his  par- 
d.oning  mercy,  and  his  sanctifying  grace.  For  these  im- 
portant blessings  are  not  only  the  means  by  which  the 
sinner  is  separated  from  idols,  but  they  are  means  which 
can  never  fail  to  produce  the  effect.  This  happy  change 
is  not  only  their  natural,  but  their  necessary  conse- 
quence;  and  therefore,  if  we  be  not  turned  from  idols, 
however  just  and  orthodox  our  speculative  opinions  con- 
cerning these  points  may  be,  it  is  certain,  that  we  have 
not  yet  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious;  for  thus  it  is 
written,  (Gal.  i.  4.)  that  Christ  *•  gave  himself  for  our 
sins,"  according  to  the  will  of  God,  "  that  he  might  de- 
liver  us  from  this  present  evil  worldj"  and  it  is  mention. 


43g  SERMON  XXVUI. 

ed  as  the  distinguishing  character  and  real  attainment 
of  all  his  redeemed  ones,  (Gal.  v.  S4.)  "  They  that  are 
CJirist's  have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  affections  and 
lusts." 

By  this  time  you  will  have  discovered  your  concern 
in  the  subject,  and  the  use  you  ought  to  make  of  it.  I 
have  showed  that  man,  in  his  natural  state,  is  joined  to 
idols ;  that  it  is  God  alone  who  can  separate  him  from 
them ;  and  that  he  doth  it  by  means  of  his  pardoning 
mercy  and  sanctifying  grace.  Now  it  is  by  faith  in  the 
Redeemer  that  any  of  the  children  of  Adam  come  to  be 
interested  in  these  great  and  inestimable  benefits.  Here 
then  you  are  furnished  with  a  plain  decisive  test,  where- 
by you  may  judge  of  your  Christian  profession,  and  ex- 
amine yourselves  whether  you  be  in  the  faith.  If  idols 
reign  with  full  power  in  your  hearts,  the  conclusion  ig 
unavoidable,  that  as  yet  you  have  neither  part  nor  lot  in 
the  Saviour ;  you  are  utter  strangers,  both  to  pardoning 
mercy  and  sanctifying  grace.  On  the  other  hand,  though 
their  dominion  be  taken  from  them,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  said  to  reign  within  you ;  yet,  in  whatever  degree 
their  influence  remains,  you  may  certainly  conclude, 
that  so  far  your  faith  must  be  weak  in  proportion.  Only 
this  is  your  comfort,  that  he  who  hath  begun  the  good 
work  will  carry  it  forward  to  perfection ;  for  "  he  is  the 
rock,  his  work  is  perfect,  and  all  his  ways  are  judg- 
ment." He  who  is  the  author,  is  likewise  the  finisher  of 
his  people's  faith.  To  him  therefore  let  your  humble 
prayer  be  addressed.  Say  to  him  as  the  disciples  did, 
*^  Lord,  increase  our  faith."  And  you  may  do  it  in  the 
assured  hope  of  being  lieard;  for  he  hath  promised  the 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  it.  Let  us  then  ask  and  receive, 
that  our  joy  may  be  full. 

From  all  tliat  hath  been  said,  we  learn, 


SERMON  XXVIII.  4S3 

ist.  How  to  account  for  that  idolatry  which  is  so  pre- 
valent in  the  world.  While  man  remained  innocent,  he 
had  free  access  to  the  Author  of  his  existence :  and,  be- 
ing assured  of  his  friendship,  he  rejoiced  in  the  displays 
of  his  glory ;  and  all  the  creatures  he  beheld,  instead  of  in- 
tercepting or  dividing  his  love,  served  only  to  remind  him 
how  much  he  himself  was  indebted  to  the  bounty  of  their 
Creator.  But  sin  introduced  a  dismal  revolution  into  the 
heart  of  man.  Alienated  from  God,  and  conscious  of  de- 
served punishment,  we  either  think  not  of  him  at  all,  or 
dread  him  in  the  tremendous  character  of  a  judge  and 
avenger.  At  the  same  time  we  must  have  something  to 
gratify  our  inbred  desire  of  happiness;  and  finding  among 
the  creatures  around  us,  not  only  the  necessary  materi- 
als for  supplying  our  bodily  wants,  but  likewise  a  varie- 
ty of  objects  and  enjoyments  suited  to  the  inferior  part 
of  our  nature,  our  hearts  cleave  to  them,  we  pursue  them 
with  eagerness,  and  hope  to  extract  that  pleasure  from 
the  possession  of  them  which  we  despair  of  finding  any 
where  else.  Hence  likewise  we  learn, 

2dly.  That  nothing  can  avail  for  the  cure  of  this 
idolatry,  which  doth  not  relieve  from  the  guilt  of  sin, 
and  vanquish  the  tormenting  fear  of  wrath,  by  represent- 
ing God  in  a  light  wherein  we  can  behold  him  with  plea- 
sure; nay,  which  doth  not  bring  an  object  in  view  that 
outshines  a  present  world,  and  will  afford  that  kind  of 
happiness  which  is  adapted  to  the  nature,  and  commen- 
surate to  the  duration,  of  an  iramorlal  spirit.  Reason  is, 
in  all  respects,  unequal  to  the  task.  It  no  doubt  can  dis- 
cover, and  may  descant  very  plausibly,  upon  the  vanity 
of  the  creature :  but,  alas !  a  hungry  man  will  feed  upon 
husks  rather  than  starve ;  nay,  Reason  itself  will  justify 
him  in  doing  so.  Something  must  be  presented  to  him 
of  real  worth  and  excellence;  something  that  can  supply 


434«  SERMON  XXVIIL 

all  his  wants,  and  render  him  contented  and  happy,  inde- 
pendent of  the  objects  and  enjoyments  of  sense.  It  must 
likewise  be  something  attainable ;  and  which,  when  once 
obtained,  cannot  be  taken  from  him. 

Upon  the  whole,  then,  we  see,  in  the  Sd  place,  the 
importance  and  use  of  faith  in  Christ.  The  sacrifice  he 
offered  lays  a  firm  foundation  for  the  hope  of  pardon  to 
the  chief  of  sinners.  There  we  see  sin  condemned  in  the 
flesh,  the  law  infinitely  glorified,  and  the  justice  of  the 
Lawgiver,  not  only  receiving  full  satisfaction,  but  more 
illustriously  displayed,  and  more  highly  exalted,  by  the 
sufferings  of  his  own  Son  in  our  nature,  than  it  could 
have  been  by  the  final  condemnation  and  everlasting 
punishment  of  the  whole  apostate  posterity  of  Adam. 
This  hath  an  obvious  and  powerful  tendency  to  remove 
those  fears  which  necessarily  spring  from  a  sense  of 
guilt ;  for  when  we  discover  a  way  in  which  God  may 
righteously  pardon  tlie  sinner,  then  we  can  look  up  to 
him  with  hope ;  we  are  no  longer  compelled  to  flee  from 
his  presence ;  the  revelation  of  mercy  and  forgiveness 
invites  our  approach  to  him,  and  thereby  weakens  one 
of  the  strongest  of  those  cords  that  bind  us  to  a  present 
world ;  especially  when,  to  the  intrinsic  worth  and  va- 
lue of  Christ's  sacrifice,  we  add,  that  it  was  offered  up  in 
consequence  of  a  divine  appointment:  for  "  Christ  glo- 
rified not  himself  to  be  made  an  High-Priest,  but  he 
who  said  unto  him.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  1 
begotten  thee."  This  strikes  at  the  very  root  of  all  dis- 
trust and  jealousy.  When  we  are  well  assured  that 
"  Grod  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begot- 
ten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  might  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life ;"  what  stronger  evi- 
dence could  the  most  suspicious  mind  require  of  his 
merciful  nature,  and  kind  regards  to  the  children  of 


SERMON  XXVIIl.  425 

men?  Doth  not  this  astonishing  act  of  grace,  this  wn- 
speakable  gift,  unmerited,  and  even  unsolicited,  amount 
to  a  full  demonstration  of  what  the  apostle  John  repeat- 
edly asserts,  viz.  God  is  love?  Can  any  one  that  be- 
lieves this,  hesitate  for  a  moment  to  draw  the  same  con- 
clusion from  it  that  Paul  did,  (Horn.  viii.  3^.)  '•  He  that 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all, 
how  shall  he  not  with  hiui  also  freely  give  us  all  things?'^ 
And  this  leads  me  to  observe,  that  Christ's  giving  him- 
self for  our  sins,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  hath  a 
mighty  efficacy  to  separate  us  from  idols;  not  only  by 
laying  a  solid  foundation  for  our  hope  of  pardon,  and 
representing  the  Father  in  such  a  light  as  cannot  fail  to 
vanquish  that  fear  and  jealousy  which  render  the 
thoughts  of  him  painful  and  alarming  to  the  sinner;  but 
further,  by  giving  us  t!ie  animating  prospect,  and  the 
fullest  assurance,  of  that  incorruptible  inheritance,  which 
our  great  Redeemer  hath  purchased  with  his  blood,  and 
promised  to  bestow  upon  all  without  exception,  who, 
acknowledging  the  original  forfeiture,  and  the  justice  of 
the  sentence  which  condemns  them  to  die,  are  willing 
to  receive  new  life  from  his  hand,  and  to  hold  it  by  his 
right,  as  a  free  gift  to  them,  through  the  merit  of  his 
obedience  unto  death  in  their  place.  This  world,  as  I 
formerly  observed,  vain  and  unsatisfying  as  it  is,  will 
still  appear  of  some  importance  to  men,  so  long  as  they 
are  unacquainted  with  any  thing  better.  It  is  this  that 
renders  death  the  king  of  terrors  ;  and  they  who  cannot 
look  with  comfort  beyond  the  grave,  will  not  only  cleave 
to  a  present  world,  but  will  even  submit  to  the  most 
grievous  hardships  and  inconveniences,  rather  than  con- 
sent to  the  dissolution  of  these  earthly  tabernacles: 
"  Skin  for  skin,  all  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his 
life."'  Nothing  can  reconcile  us  to  a  removal  from  this 
VOL.  I.  3  F 


426  SERMON  XXYllI. 

M'orltl  biit  tbc  tliscovery  of  another,  where  we  shall  con- 
liuiie  to  live  and  to  partake  of  enjoyments  preferable  to 
any  of  tliose  we  leave  behind  us.  Now,  for  this  discove- 
ry we  are  wholly  indebted  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Life  and  immortality  are  brought  to  light  by  his  gospel. 
This  great  object  darkens  the  delusive  lustre  of  all  seen 
things.  What  hath  this  earth  to  offi-r  that  can  stand  the 
least  comparison  with  that  fulness  of  joy  which  is  at 
God's  right  hand?  Animated  by  this  prospect,  the  be- 
lieving Hebrews  "  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their 
goods,  knowing  in  themselves,  that  in  heaven  they  had 
a  better  and  more  enduring  substance.''  They  did  not 
regret  the  loss  of  those  perishing  trifles,  for  which  carnal 
men  contend  with  such  eager  and  unremitting  labour: 
they  looked  beyond  tliem  to  permanent  and  substantial 
blessings,  and  rejoiced  in  the  hope,  "  that  when  the 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  should  be  dissolved, 
tiiev  had  a  buildine:  of  God,  an  liouse  not  made  with 
Lands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  But  I  must  here  add, 
that  all  these  discoveries,  which  have  so  obvious  a  ten- 
dency to  separate  us  from  idols,  derive  their  virtue  and 
efficacy  from  that  divine  Spirit  which  Christ  purcliased 
by  his  suHerings  and  obedience  unto  death;  whose  office 
it  is,  not  only  to  throw  light  upon  the  great  truths  reveal- 
ed in  the  gospel,  and  to  open  or  unvail  our  eyes,*that 
we  may  see  them  in  all  their  evidence,  but  likewise  to 
carry  them  home  into  our  hearts  with  such  demonstra- 
tion and  power,  that  they  shall  become  the  type  or  mould 
wherein  that  new  man  is  formed,  which  after  God  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  By  this  di- 
vine agent  we  are  born  into  the  kingdom  and  family  of 
God,  and  are  connected  with  the  spiritual  world  as  real- 
ly as  by  our  natural  birth  we  are  introduced  into  and 
connected   with  this   material  world.   In  consequence 


SERMON  XXVIII.  4^7 

wliereof,  we  become  sons,  not  in  name  only,  but  in  na- 
ture; and,  as  St.  Paul  reasons,  upon  a  principle  univer- 
sally admitted,  "  If  sons,  then  are  we  also  heirs,  heirs 
of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ  Jesus."  This  pow- 
erful renovation  pulls  down  at  once  every  idol  from  the 
tlirone,  and  lays  them  all  under  the  feet  of  the  "  man  in 
Christ;"  for  every  thing  tends  to  the  place  of  its  origi- 
nal. "  They  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things 
of  the  flesh ;  and  they  that  are  after  the  spirit  the  things 
of  the  spirit:" — "They  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  whereby  they 
know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  them  of  God." 
And  these  they  find  to  be  a  portion  sufficient  to  fill  the 
most  enlarged  capacity  of  their  souls.  Being  risen  with 
their  Lord,  they  "  seek  the  things  which  are  aboVe, 
where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  They 
are  dead  to  whatsoever  is  confined  to  their  present  state 
of  existence  ;  and  the  new  life  they  have  received,  being 
"  hid  with  Christ  in  God,"  they  are  enabled  to  con- 
elude,  with  the  most  absolute  certainty,  "  that  when  he 
who  is  their  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  they  also  ap- 
pear with  him  in  glory,  and  ever  after  be  with  the 
Lord." 

"  May  he  who  at  first  commanded  the  light  to  sjjine 
out  of  darkness,  shine  into  all  your  hearts,  to  give  you 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  his  glory,  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Clirist,"  that  each  of  you  may  be  disposed  and 
enabled  to  say.  What  have  I  to  do  anymore  icith  idols? 
And  let  those  wlio  have  experienced  tlie  power  of  di- 
vine grace,  show  by  their  future  condiict,  that  ihey  find 
enough  in  their  God  and  Saviour  to  render  them  com- 
pletely happy :  and  that  the  drauglit  they  have  got  of 
the  pure  watitr  of  life,  hath  eff-ctually  quenched  their 
thirst  after  the  muddy  pools  of  earthly  enjoyments. 


428  SERMON  XXIX. 

Beware,  O  Christians!  of  every  thing  that  may  sully 
your  profession,  or  grieve  the  Spirit,  and  therehy  breed 
in  you  a  dls'rust  of  your  personal  interest  in  God's  par- 
doning mercy  and  sanctifying  grace :  for  it  is  *'  by  faith 
you  stand  ;"  and  in  tlie  same  proportion  that  your  faith 
fails,  idols  will  regain  their  influence  in  your  hearts. 
I  shall  therefore  conclude  with  that  affecthmate  exhor- 
tation of  the  apostle  Jude,  "  Ye  beloved,  building  up 
yourselves  on  your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  keep  yoursdves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for 
the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life." 
Amen. 


Preached  at  the  opening  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Churcli 
of  Scotland,  1772. 

1  John  iii.  8. 

Fur  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested^  that 
He  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  Devil. 


Among  the  various  motives  to  the  love  and  practice 
of  universal  holiness  with  which  this  sacred  epistle 
abounds,  the  one  I  have  now  read  to  you  doth  certainly 
merit  peculiar  attention;  and  must  to  every  ingenuous 
mind  appear  not  only  most  persuasive,  but  likevi^ise  most 
animating.  For  who  that  hath  any  tiiirst  for  true  glory, 
would  not  aspire  to  the  high  dignity  of  becoming  a 


SERMON  XXIX.  429 

*^  worker  together"  with  the  Son  of  God?  Or  can  any 
man  have  reason  to  entertain  the  least  douht  of  victory 
and  triumph,  who  is  engaged  in  a  cause  which  the  great 
Lord  of  heaven  and  eartli  hath  undertaken  to  support? 

1.  I  propose,  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  to  olTer  a 
few  remarks  for  estahlishing  your  faith  of  tlie  important 
doctrine  contained  in  my  text. 

a.  Secondly,  I  shall  give  you  some  account  of  the 
principal  means  hy  which  the  Son  of  God  hath  hitherto 
conducted  his  salutary  undertaking,  and  shall  finally  de- 
stroy the  works  of  the  devil. — And  tlieu  direct  you  to 
the  practical  improvement  of  the  subject. 

I.  First,  then,  that  you  may  see  the  evidence  by 
which  the  doctrine  here  asserted  is  confirmed  and  illus- 
trated, in  the  clearest  and  most  satisfying  light,  I  shall 
lay  before  you  the  several  parts  of  it,  in  the  same  method 
and  order  of  time  in  which  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  placed 
them  in  tiie  sacred  Scriptures. 

If  we  look  back  to  the  Old  Testament  writings,  we 
shall  find  this  doctrine  published  in  paradise  immedi- 
ately after  the  apostacy  of  our  first  parents,  when  Sa- 
tan's usurped  domination  commenced.  Then  it  was  that 
God  said  unto  the  serpent,  "  Because  thou  hast  done 
this,  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed :  It  shall  bruise  thy 
hea<l,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  This  was  an  ear- 
ly intimation  of  a  Saviour,  who  should  defeat  the  ma- 
lice of  Satan,  the  grand  adversary,  and  prevent  the  to- 
tal ruin  of  mankind. 

To  prefigure  the  manner  in  which  he  was  to  achieve 
this  great  deliverance,  it  deserves  our  notice,  that  expi- 
atory sacrifices  were  very  early  appointed.  Thus  we 
read,  that  ^'  Abel  oflcred  unto  the  Lord  the  firstlings  of 
his  fiock:''  and  when  we  consider  that  it  was  not  till  af- 


430  SERMON  XXIX. 

ter  the  deluge  that  the  use  of  animal  food  was  permitted 
to  man,  we  can  hardly  doubt,  that  the  "  coats  of  skins," 
which  God  is  said  to  have  made  for  Adam  and  Eve, 
must  have  been  the  skins  of  animals  offered  in  sacrifice 
by  his  own  direction  and  appointment.  These  were  sig- 
nificant emblems,  or  typos,  of  that  great  atonement  which 
Christ  was  lo  make  in  due  time  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self; in  allusion  to  which,  he  is  styled,  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament writings,  a  Lainb,  "the  Lan;ib  of  God," — "the 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

But  lest  these  typical  representations  of  the  promised 
seed  should  prove  tco  thick  and  obscure  a  vail,  it  pleas- 
ed God  gradually  to  unfold  the  purposes  of  his  grace, 
b}'^  raising  up  prophets  at  different  periods  of  time :  who, 
though  they  separately  bare  witness  to  this  illustrious 
person,  yet  they  perfectly  agreed  in  the  report  they  gave 
of  him;  representing  him  as  an  irresistible  conqueror, 
"  who  should  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong,"  as  "  the 
King  whom  God  had  set  upon  his  holy  hill  of  Zion," 
as  "  the  Lord  strong  in  battle,"  "  and  mighty  to  save;" 
who  should  ^'  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the 
opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound ; — who 
should  finish  transgression,  and  make  an  end  of  sins," 
or  offerings  for  sin,  '^  and  make  reconciliation  for  ini- 
quity, and  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness." 

Accordingly,  when  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  the 
Son  of  God  made  his  entrance  into  the  world  in  the  de- 
clared character  of  Saviour  and  Redeemer.  A  heavenly 
herald  was  employed  to  announce  his  appearance,  and 
to  appoint  him  a  name  expressive  of  his  office:  "^  Thou 
slialt  call  his  name  Jesus,"  said  the  angel  to  Joseph ; 
'^^  for  he  shall  save  liis  people  from  their  sins."  A  spe- 
cial messenger  was  raised  up  to  prepare  the  way  before 
him,  to  bid  Satan  defiance,  and  lo  call  upon  men  to  "  re- 


SERMON  XXIX.  431 

pent,  because  the  kingdom  of  God  was  at  haiid.'^  Tliis 
was  John,  who  soon  after  had  the  honour  to  introduce 
Christ  by  baptism  into  the  field  of  battle,  and  to  point 
him  out  to  the  men  of  that  age  as  "  the  Lamb  of  God 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

And  now  let  us  review  his  personal  conduct,  and  trace 
him  through  the  course  of  his  public  ministry,  where  we 
shall  behold  the  most  striking  proofs  of  the  Apostle's 
assertion,  that /or  this  purpose  the  San  of  God  ivas  ma- 
7ufested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  No 
sooner  is  he  baptized,  and  consecrated  to  his  oflTice  by 
the  visible  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  than  he  suffers 
himself  to  be  ^'  led  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness," 
and  continued  there  for  the  space  of  forty  days  •*  tempt- 
ed of  the  devil."  The  circumstances  of  this  combat,  and 
the  happy  issue  of  it,  are  recorded  by  three  evangelists, 
and  are  so  generally  known,  that  I  need  not  stay  to  re- 
peat them.  This  was  the  first  signal  defeat  of  the  adver- 
sary: in  the  wilderness  was  the  serpent's  head  broken 
as  tempter,  which  on  Calvary  was  afterwards  bruised 
as  tormentor. 

Having  thus  vanquished  the  devil  in  single  fight,  our 
Lord  forthwith  invites  men  to  fight  under  his  banner. 
He  chooseth  twelve  apostles,  whom  he  appoints  to  be 
the  stated  attendants  upon  his  person,  and  the  principal 
leaders  of  the  army  under  him.  With  these  he  joins  se- 
venty of  a  subordinate  rank,  to  whom  he  gives  orders  to 
attack  the  enemy,  and  to  exercise  the  power  of  his  word 
and  spirit  against  him.  In  obedience  to  his  command, 
and  relying  upon  his  aid,  they  resolutely  go  forth  two  by 
two,  into  every  city  and  place  whither  he  himself  was 
to  come ;  and  after  a  rapid  and  most  successful  progress, 
like  young  soldiers  fluslied  with  their  first  prosperous 
adventure,  they  return  again  with  joy,  saying,  "  Lord, 
even  the  devils  arc  subject  unto  us  through  thy  name." 


133  SERMON  XXIX. 

Upon  this  the  hotter  part  of  the  war  begins.  The  old 
serpent  puts  forth  all  his  strength  and  cunning,  raiseth 
up  enemies  from  every  quarter,  works  upon  the  pride, 
envy,  and  prejudices  of  the  Jewish  rulers  and  teachers, 
and  hy  their  agency  carries  on  a  most  furious  persecu- 
tion against  him.  Yet  still  this  great  Captain  of  Salva- 
tion maintains  his  ground,  and,  amidst  all  the  opposi- 
tion that  is  made  to  him,  lays  the  foundation  of  a  king- 
dom, against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  be  able 
to  prevail ;  till  at  length,  by  seeming  to  yield,  he  gives 
the  enemy  the  mortal  blow,  pursues  him  into  his  own 
dominions ;  and,  by  a  mysterious  wisdom,  "  through 
death,  he  conquers  liim  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
is  the  devil:"  And  having  thus  obtained  a  complete 
victory,  he  riseth  from  the  grave  in  triumph,  ascendeth 
up  on  high,  leading  captivity  captive;  where,  seated  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  he  shall  continue  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  government  as  Mediator  till  all  his  enemies  be 
made  his  footstool. 

Thus,  you  see,  that  the  doctrine  of  my  text  doth  not 
lean  upon  a  single  testimony,  but  is  supported  by  many 
clear  and  express  declarations  of  holy  writ,  and  beauti- 
fully illustrated  by  the  whole  of  our  Saviour's  conduct 
during  the  time  of  his  abode  on  this  earth.  Let  us  then 
proceed, 

II.  In  the  second  place.  To  consider  more  particular- 
ly some  of  tlie  principal  means  by  which  the  Son  of  God 
hath  hitherto  conducted  his  salutary  undertaking,  and 
shall  finally  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil. 

ist.  He  liath  given  us  the  most  certain  and  enlarged 
discoveries  of  every  thing  that  is  necessary  to  be  known, 
believed,  or  done  by  us,  in  order  to  our  present  improve- 
ment in  holiness,  and  the  perfection  of  our  happiness  in 
a  future  state. 


SERMON  XXIX.  4^3 

The  devil  is  styled  "the  god  of  Ihis  world,  who 
blindeth  the  minds  of  those  that  believe  not,"  and  by 
kee|)in2;  the  lii;lit  from  them,  leads  them  captive  at  his 
pleasure.  And  Christ  delivers  them  from  this  tin-aldom, 
"  by  opening  their  eyes,  and  turning  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light;"  dispelling  those  clouds  of  ignorance,  er- 
ror,  and  prejudice,  whereby  Satan  maintains  his  usur- 
pation over  the  hearts  of  men. 

"  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the  only  begot- 
ten Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  de- 
clared him."  To  him  we  are  indebted  for  the  fullest  and 
most  satisfying  information  concerning  the  nature  and 
perfections  of  God  Most  High;  the  measures  of  his  go- 
vernment, ins  relation  to  us,  and  the  worship  that  is  due 
to  him;  and  that  neither  guilt  nor  distance  might  discour- 
age our  approach  to  the  throne  of  his  holiness,  Christ 
hath  opened  (o  us,  in  his  own  blood,  a  precious  fountain 
of  sovereign  virtue,  in  which  the  chief  of  sinners  may 
wash  and  be  made  clean;  and  b}'  revealing  to  us  the 
mysterious  union  of  the  divine  and  human  natures,  in 
his  own  person  as  Mediator,  he  hath,  as  it  were,  thrown 
a  bridge  over  that  boundless  infinite  ocean,  which  sepa- 
rates the  creature  from  the  invisible  Godhead :  so  that 
through  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  also  God's  belov- 
ed Son,  we  may  now  address  the  Father  of  our  spirits^ 
without  that  dread  of  a  repulse,  and  fear  of  offending 
him,  whicli  otherwise  must  have  overwhelmed  our  minds. 
He  hath  given  us  a  law  which  is  holy,  just,  and  good, 
utterly  subversive  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  contra- 
ry to  all  his  works;  "  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungod- 
liness and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  and 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world."  This  law 
he  iiath  enforced  with  the  most  persuasive  arguments. 
Every  motive  to  obedience  that  can  either  encourage  our 

VOL.  I.  3  o 


434)  SERMON  XXIX. 

hopes,  or  alarm  our  fears,  is  set  before  ii«!  in  the  strons;est 
and  most  affeciingli^ht.  Heaven  is  unfolded  to  our  view, 
and  destruction  hath  no  covering;:  And  that  no  incite- 
ment may  be  wanting;  to  invis;nrate  our  opposition  to  the 
devil  and  his  works,  this  great  Captain  of  Salvation  sol- 
emnly enlists  us  into  his  army  by  baptism;  and  hath  ap- 
pointed the  other  sacrament,  not  mendy  to  represent  hie 
atoning  sacrifice,  and  to  remind  us  of  the  price  with  which 
we  were  redeemed,  but  likewise  (o  aiford  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  recognizing  his  title  to  our  grateful  homage  and 
most  loyal  subjection ;  and  to  be  a  means  of  imparting  to 
our  souls  those  supplies  of  grace,  which  will  enable  us 
to  quit  ourselves  like  men,  while  we  fi^ht  under  his  ban- 
ner against  the  powers  of  darkness,  till  the  God  of  peace 
shall  in  due  time  bruise  Satan  under  (»ur  feet.  Thus 
doth  the  Son  of  God  destroy  the  works  of  the  devils  by 
ihe  doctrines,  and  laws,  and  ordinances  he  hath  taught 
us.  To  which  I  add, 

2dhj.  The  bright  and  glorious  example  of  his  life. 

It  was  the  just  reproach  of  the  Jewish  teachers,  that 
"  they  bound  heavy  burdens,  and  laid  them  upon  other 
men's  shoulders,  but  they  themselves  would  not  touch 
them  with  one  of  their  fin2;ers."  Whereas  the  example 
of  our  Lord  was  of  equal  perfection  with  his  laws.  He 
lived  as  he  taught;  and  the  whole  of  his  conduct,  from 
his  birth  to  his  death,  was  one  continued  lecture  of  the 
purest  devotion,  the  sublimesf  morals,  and  the  most  ex- 
tensive usefulness.  But  this  opens  a  field  too  extensive 
to  be  entered  upon.  It  must  suffice  at  present  to  observe, 
that  the  principal  virtues  which  the  peculiar  character 
and  circumstances  of  our  Lord  gave  him  an  o|)porluuity 
to  practise,  were  obviously  adap'ed  to  counteract  the 
devil's  most  favourite  vices.  How  odious,  how  disgrace- 
ful, do  human  pride  and  vain-glory  appear,  when  set  in 


SERMON  XXIX.  4,33 

opposition  to  the  lowliness  of  Cluist,  who,  "  though  he 
was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  Ihouglit  it  not  rohhery  to  be 
equal  with  fiod,  yet  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  serviinl?''  With  what  per- 
suasive eloquence  doth  the  contempt  he  poured  upon  the 
riches,  and  honours,  and  pleasures  of  this  worhl,  re- 
prove and  condemn  the  covetousness,  the  ambition,  and 
sensualty  of  men?  His  condescension  to  the  mean,  and 
his  sympathy  with  the  miserable;  his  meekness  in  re- 
ceiving and  forgiving  injuries;  and  his  patience  in  en- 
during the  most  griev')us  suffirings,  do  all  serve  to  ex- 
pose the  deformity  of  those  opposite  distempers  which 
give  Satan  so  much  room  in  the  hearts  of  most  men.  Af- 
ter this  manner  doth  the  perfect  example  of  the  Son  of 
God  in  our  nature  contribute  to  the  subversion  of  the 
kinnjdom  of  darkness.  But, 

Zdly.  It  was  by  his  obedience  unto  death  that  our 
Lord  did  most  eminently  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil; 
as  we  learn  from  the  passage  to  which  I  formerly  allud- 
ed, (Heb.  ii.  1-1.)  ''Through  death  he  destroyed  him 
that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil."  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  epistle  to  the  Colnssians,  the  cross  of  Christ 
is  compared  to  a  triumphal  chariot,  on  which,  having 
spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made  a  show  of 
them  openly.  I  shall  therefore  discourse  at  greater 
length  upon  this  head,  and  endeavour  to  illustrate  the 
efficacy  of  Christ's  death,  in  counteracting  and  defeat- 
ing the  malice  of  Satan  :  l.s^.  As  it  advances  the  glory 
of  God  which  he  sought  to  impair;  and,  2d.  As  it  pur- 
chaseth  and  secures  the  salvation  of  men,  in  spile  of  all 
liis  atlem|)ts  to  ruin  them.  These  subjects,  which  are  no 
less  delightful  than  interesting,  will  serve  to  unfold  the 
meanin;:;  of  (hat  heavenly  anthem  with  which  angels 
celt-brated  the  birth  of  our  Lord  :  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest;  and   on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men." 


436  SERMON  XXIX. 

1.  First,  tlien,  let  us  view  the  death  of  Christ  as  a 
means  of  advancing  the  glory  of  God,  or,  to  speak  with 
greater  propriety,  of  displacing  it  more  fully  to  his  in- 
telligent creatures. 

Satan,  no  doubt,  triumphed  in  his  victory  over  the 
heads  of  our  race.  He  had  seen  with  envy  that  fountain 
of  beneficence  flowing  out  towards  them,  which  he  knew 
was  eternally  shut  against  himself;  and  beheld,  with 
vexation  and  rage,  the  complacency  and  delight  of  the 
Creator  in  his  new-made  world.  But  now  that  the  fatal 
trespass  was  committed,  he  would  fondly  conclude,  that 
this  blessed  harmony  between  heaven  and  earth  was  for 
ever  at  an  end.  Man,  would  he  thiidi,  is  become  no  less 
guilty  than  I  am.  That  tremendous  justice,  the  severity 
of  which  I  feel,  stands  as  much  in  the  way  of  this  crea- 
ture's happiness  as  of  mine.  God  must  rear  up  another 
world  before  lie  can  make  any  further  display  of  his 
goodness,  for  this  world  is  eflfectually  put  beyond  the 
reach  of  it.  Thus  we  may  suppose  him  glorying  in  his 
conquest,  and  his  fancied  disappointment  of  the  divine 
purpose. 

But,  behold  !  l)y  the  death  of  Christ,  the  shameful  dis- 
appointment recoiling  upon  himself.  He  had  before  seen 
goodness  and  justice  displayed  alternately,  each  acting 
in  the  most  perfect  manner  upon  their  proper  objects; 
but  now  he  sees  them  ministering  to  each  other's  glory, 
and  mutually  conspiring  to  take  advantage  of  his  ma- 
lice, that  both  might  shine  forth  with  more  dazzling 
splendour.  He  sees  mercy  to  the  guilty  (an  exercise  of 
goodness  which  till  then  he  thought  impossible)  rejoic- 
ing against  judgment,  and  judgment  at  the  same  time 
triumphing  in  a  satisfaction  of  infinitely  greater  worth 
tlian  the  whole  world  of  angels  and  men.  He  sees  love 
fringing  tiie  sacrifice  tQ  satisfy  justice;  and  justice,  hav- 


SERMON  XXIX.  437 

ing  nothing  more  to  demanfl,  giving  place  to  love;  nay, 
becoming  bound  to  serve  the  purposes  of  love  in  tlie  sal- 
vation of  those  whom  it  formerl  v  sought  to  destroy.  This 
is  that  mysterious  object  wliich  ansjels  eonlcmplale  with 
increasing  wonder,  and  which  de^ils  must  look  at  wi(U 
shame  and  confusion.  The  Son  of  God  suftVrs,  that  the 
sinner  may  escape;  and  thus  mercy  and  truth,  righte- 
ousness and  peace,  which  are  never  to  meet  upon  those, 
apostate  spirits,  meet  and  embrace  upon  the  cross  of 
Christ;  and  God  appears  infinitely  jtist,  as  well  as  iuti- 
nitely  gracious,  when  he  justifies  those  who  believe  in 
Jesus. 

In  short,  all  the  attempts  of  Satan  to  impair  or  darken 
the  glory  of  God,  serve  only  to  furnish  out  a  theatre  for 
the  more  illustrious  display  of  it.  He  pulls  down  his 
kingdom  with  his  own  hands,  and  builds  up  that  which 
he  meant  to  overturn. 

It  is  impossible  to  know  with  certainty  what  views  he 
had  of  the  Messiah ;  but  it  is  plain,  that  he  thought  his 
death  would  bring  great  advantage  to  himself.  He  very 
probably  hoped,  that  by  this  horrid  deed,  God  would 
be  provoked  finally  to  abandon  the  human  kind.  The 
Jews  were  the  only  society  of  true  worshij)pers  upon 
earth,  the  people  whom  God  had  chosen  for  his  peculiar 
inheritance;  and  if  their  charter  could  be  broken,  by  their 
ungrateful  rejection,  and  barbarous  murder,  of  their  long- 
promised  King,  then  of  course  they  would  fall  to  his 
share ;  and  so  the  whole  world  would  become  his  own^ 
and  God  have  no  tribute  of  praise  from  men.  But,  0 
the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  know- 
ledge of  God !  Here  again  Satan  is  can2;ht  in  his  owa 
snare;  and  by  seeking  to  enlarge  his  kingdom,  saps  the 
foundation  of  it.  Christ  being  lifted  upon  the  cross  draws 
all  men  unto  him.  The  covenant  of  peculiarity  doth  ia- 


138  SERMON  XXIX. 

deed  cease ;  but  then  it  is  succeeded  by  a  better  and  more 
extensive  one.    The  wall  of  partition  that  inclosed  the 
Jews,  and  separated  them  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  is 
now  broken  down;  and  the  divine  goodness,  which  for- 
merly ran  in  a  narrow  channel,  now  dilates  itself,  and 
embraceth  a  whole  world,  men  of  all  kindreds,  nations, 
and  languages.    Thus  Satan,  by  overdoing,  undoes  his 
interest;  by  grasping  at  the  Jews,  he  loseth  his  Heathen 
su!>jt^cts:  for  as  Paul  writes  to  the  Ephesians,  (chap.  ii. 
13,  14.)  "  But  now  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  sometimes 
were  far  off,"  (being  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel,  and   strangers  from   the  covenants  of  promise) 
*^  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.    For  he  is  our 
peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down 
thf*  middle  wall  of  partition  between  us.''  "Now  there- 
fore," as  it  follows,  (verse  19.)  *'  ye  are  no  more  stran- 
gers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints, 
and  of  the  iiousehold  of  God."    Christ,  after  his  resur- 
rection sent  fortli  his  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel  to  ev- 
ery creature.    In  obedience  to  his  command,  ihey  flew 
abroad  like  lightning,  invaded  the  kingdom  of  darkness 
on  all  quarters,  and  made  an  amazing  progress  in  their 
own  day.    And  we  look  by  faith  for  still  more  glorious 
times,  when  the  dominion  of  Satan  sliall  be  utterly  sub- 
verted, and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  brought 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  only  true  God,  and  of  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  hath  sent,  vviiom  to  know  is  life  eternal. 
Thus  doth  the  death  of  Christ  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil,  innsmucii  as  it  displays  the  glory  of  all  the  divine 
perfections,  and  enlarges  the  kingdom  of  God  among 
men,  by  the  very  means  which  Satan  employed  to  sully 
the  one  and  to  diminish  the  other. 

2.  The  death  of  Christ  is  no  less  effectual  (o  purchase 
and  secure  the  salvation  of  men,  io  spite  of  all  Satan's 


SERMON  XXIX.  439 

attempts  to  ruin  them.  This  partly  appears  from  wliat 
hath  been  already  suggested.  His  blood  is  the  price 
which  redeems  the  soul ;  it  expiates  the  guilt  of  sin,  and 
gives  full  satisfaction  to  divine  justice :  so  that  now  the 
grand  obstacle  is  removed,  which  obstructed  the  sinner's 
access  to  God,  and  excluded  him  from  any  share  in  the 
fruits  of  his  benoiieence.  But  this  is  not  all :  The  death 
of  Christ  doth  likewise  aftbrd  the  most  persuasive  and 
effectual  motives  to  that  holiness,  '•  without  which  no 
man  shall  see  God ;"  and  thus  directly  destroys  the 
works  of  the  devil.  Here  we  behold  the  frightful  aspect 
of  sin.  Hell  itself  doth  not  furnish  such  an  awful  rejire- 
sentation,  either  of  its  intrinsic  malignity,  or  its  heinous 
demerit.  How  deep,  how  black,  must  that  stain  have 
been,  which  notliing  could  wash  away  but  the  blood  of 
Christ?  How  deadly  the  disease  which  no  other  medi- 
cine could  cure?  How  tremendous  that  justice,  which 
nothing  less  could  satisfy  than  the  death  of  him  who 
created  the  worlds?  In  vain  doth  Satan  tempt  us  to^^re- 
siimef  if  we  duly  attend  to  this.  Here  sin  is  made  to  ap- 
pear exceeding  sinful;  and  Christ  from  the  cross  pro- 
claims God's  infinite  abhorrence  of  that  accursed  thing, 
and  his  resolution  to  punish  it,  with  a  louder  and  more 
alarming  voice  than  even  the  how  lings  of  the  damned 
themselves  can  do.  And  tlien  what  an  effectual  remedy 
have  we  here  against  desjmirP  This  is  another  engine 
\vhich  the  enemy  of  our  souls  seldom  fails  to  employ. 
When  he  cannot  hold  us  bound  Avith  the  cords  of  pre- 
sumption, he  will  next  attempt  to  plunge  us  into  the  gulf 
of  despair,  and  will  be  ready  to  say  to  us,  (as  JosLua 
said  to  the  Jews  with  a  very  different  aim)  "  Ye  cannot 
serve  the  Lord,  for  he  is  a  holy  God."  Your  sins  are  so 
multiplied,  and  your  bad  habits  so  strong,  that  it  is  a 
vain  thing  to  think  of  amending  now.    But  the  cross  of 


440  SERMON  XXIX. 

Christ  suggests  to  the  believer  a  sufficient  answer  to  this 
objection.  True  it  is,  can  he  say,  that  my  sins  have  been 
many  and  great;  but  here  is  blood  that  ^'cleanseth  from 
all  sin."  My  corrupt  passions  are  indeed  strong;  but 
then  my  Redeemer  "  is  mighty  to  save."  He  would  not 
purchase  an  inheritance  for  me  which  I  could  not  be 
rendered  capable  of  possessing.  He  who  died  to  pre- 
pare a  heaven  for  his  people,  is  certainly  able  to  prepare 
his  people  for  heaven.  He  knows  my  weakness,  and 
yet  calls  upon  me  to  follow  him ;  and  therefore  I  cannot, 
I  dare  not,  despair  of  his  help.  I  will  go  forward  in  his 
name,  and  he  will  make  his  grace  sufficient  for  me. 
Thus  doth  the  death  of  Christ  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil,  inasmuch  as  it  furnisheth  his  people  with  the 
strongest  arguments  against  sin,  and  the  most  persua- 
sive motives  to  faith  and  holy  obedience;  and  hath  more- 
over merited  for  them  that  supernatural  assistance,  by 
which  they  are  encouraged  to  attempt,  nay,  (as  the  apos- 
tle Paul  assures  us  from  his  own  experience)  by  which 
they  are  actually  enabled  to  do  all  things.  Which  leads 
me  to  mention  a 

Fourth  and  principal  means,  by  which  the  Son  of 
God  destroys  the  works  of  the  devil;  namely,  the  divine 
efficacy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  regenerating  the  souls  of 
men,  filling  them  with  light,  and  love,  and  strength ; 
casting  down  those  proud  imaginations  which  exalt 
themselves  against  God,  and  bringing  every  thought  in- 
to captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  The  H(dy  Spirit 
is  Christ's  vicegerent  upon  earth,  sent  forth  by  him  to 
supply  his  place,  and  to  erect  his  throne  in  the  hearts  of 
men  upon  the  ruins  of  Satan's  kingdom.  This  he  doth, 
by  opening  their  understandings  to  understand  the 
Scriptures,  and  leading  them  to  the  knowledge  of  all 
necessary  truths ;  by  convincing  them  of  their  sin  and 


SERMON  XXIX.  441 

misery,  enlightening  their  minds  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  renewing  their  wills ;  whereby  lie  not  only 
persuades,  but  eflectually  enables  them  to  embrace 
Christ  as  he  is  offered  ;  by  shedding  abroad  the  love  of 
God  in  their  hearts;  furnishing  them  with  strength  to  re- 
sist tem[)tations,  to  overcome  the  world,  to  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  and  to  crucify  the  flesh  with  the  af- 
fections and  lusts.  These  are  some  of  the  effects  which 
the  Scriptures  attribute  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  By  these 
the  strong  man  armed  is  driven  out  of  his  palace;  he  is 
stripped  of  his  armour,  and  his  goods  are  spoiled.  Thus 
the  soul  is  rescued  from  the  bondage  of  Satan;  and  the 
sinner  is  made  willing  by  a  day  of  power  to  yield  him- 
self unto  God,  and  to  walk  in  newness  of  life. 

5thly.  The  Son  of  God  will  finally  destroy  the  worJcs 
of  the  devil,  when  he  shall  come  the  second  time  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness.  Tlien  shall  the  kingdom  of 
darkness  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots  ;  then  shall  the  ran- 
somed of  the  Lord  be  confirmed  in  a  state  of  unchange- 
able purity  and  happiness.  Satan  shall  no  more  vex  and 
seduce  them  ;  but  he,  with  all  the  workers  of  iniquity, 
shall  be  thrust  down  into  those  everlasting  burnings, 
which  the  wrath  of  God,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone, 
doth  kindle  and  inflame;  the  smoke  whereof  ascendeth 
for  ever  and  ever. 

Thus  have  I  illustrated  the  doctrine  of  my  text,  and 
taken  notice  of  some  of  the  principal  means  by  which 
the  Son  of  God  hath  hitherto  conducted  the  war  against 
Satan,  and  shall  finally  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil: 
And  now,  in  the  review  of  all  that  hath  been  said,  let 
us,  in  the 

ist  place.   Praise  and  magnify  our  great  deliverer, 

who  came  into  the  world  upon  so  merciful  an  errand. 

*'  0  the  height  and  depth,  the  breadth  and  the  length  of 
VOL.  r.  3  H 


4^  SERMON  XXIX. 

the  love  of  Christ!"  It  mi:;hl  justly  have  been  feared, 
that  if  the  Son  of  God  was  to  visit  this  earth,  it  would 
have  been  for  a  very  different  end,  even  to  display  the 
glory  of  divine  justice,  by  executing  vengeance  upon 
those  ungrateful  creatures  wIjo  had  risen  up  in  rcbellioa 
against  the  Grod  that  made  them.  But  behold,  and  won- 
der !  he  came  to  save,  and  not  to  destroy :  "  For  God 
sent  not  his  Hon  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  Nay, 
he  came  to  destroy  those  enemies  who  had  vanquished 
us,  and  to  rescue  us  out  of  their  hands.  "Lord,  what 
is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him?"  My  brethren^ 
however  coldly  we  may  think  or  talk  of  these  matters, 
angels,  whom  tliey  less  concern,  contemplate  them  with 
ecstacy.  They  shouted  for  joy  when  the  world  was 
made;  but  they  raise  a  higher  note  to  cilehrate  the  re- 
demption of  mankind.  And  shall  men  be  silent  while 
angels  sing?  O  let  us  contend  with  those  hlessed  spirits 
in  the  praises  of  our  own  Redeemer:  He  is  their  Lord, 
but  he  is  our  Saviour.  Let  our  souls,  and  all  that  is 
within  us,  be  stirred  up  to  bless  him ;  and  let  us,  even 
at  this  distance,  begin  that  grateful,  triumpliant  song, 
*^  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  wasiied  us  from  our  sins 
in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  his  Father,  to  him  be  glory  and  domi- 
nion for  ever  and  ever." 

2dli/.  Tills  doctrine  fields  the  stroni^est  consolation 
to  every  sincere  Christian.  He  is  engaged  in  a  cause 
that  must  prevail;  he  follows  a  leader  whom  no  might 
can  withstand;  he  contends  with  a  subdued  and  van- 
quished foe,  who  hath  already  received  the  mortal 
Avound,  and  ere  long  shall  be  cast  down  and  tram[)led 
under  his  feet.  And  will  not  this  insj)ire  you  with  cou- 
rage and  fortitude?  Youfight  under  a  General  whom  Sa- 


SERMON  XXIX,  445 

tan  feareth ;  and  though  he  uses  every  artifice  to  make 
others  unbelievers,  yet  he  himself  believes  and  trembles. 
Remember  tbe  battles  and  victories  of  your  Redeemer; 
consider  the  virtue  of  bis  blood,  and  the  efficacy  of  his 
Spirit.  Let  faith  behold  him  in  his  present  exaltation 
at  the  Father's  right  hand,  pleading  your  cause,  and  ob- 
serving your  conduct;  covering  your  heads,  and  healing 
your  wounds:  wliile  he  prepares  for  you  those  crowns  of 
glory  that  shall  never  fade  away:  and  then  cry  out  with 
th''  Apostle  in  holy  triumph,  ^»  If  God  be  for  us  who 
shall  be  against  us?  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  God?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecu- 
tion, or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword?  Nay, 
in  all  those  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
him  that  loved  us."  Be  bold,  O  Christians!  in  the  cause 
of  righteousness.  Let  the  wicked  blush;  they  have  rea- 
son to  do  so;  their  work  is  base,  and  their  wages  dead- 
ly: but  surely  the  disciples  of  Jesus  have  no  cause  to 
be  ashamed,  whether  they  consider  the  nature  of  their 
service,  or  the  reward  that  attends  it.  And  what  a  re- 
proach is  it,  that  the  slaves  of  Satan  should  act  more 
vigorously  for  their  master  than  we  do  for  ours  ?  Their 
cause  is  not  only  bad  in  itself,  but  desperate  too,  as  to 
any  prospect  of  success:  whereas  the  interest  for  which 
we  contend,  is  so  just  and  honourable,  that  the  very  at- 
tempting to  support  it  is  glorious;  and  unless  we  were  to 
suppose,  that  Omnipotence  may  become  weak,  and  the 
Creator  be  overmatched  by  the  workmanship  of  his  own 
hands,  we  are  sure  of  victory.  AVhat  then  should  we 
fear?  Be  strong,  O  believers!  and  of  good  courage;  you 
fight  the  battles  of  the  Lord  of  hosts :  and  greater  is  he 
that  is  with  you  than  all  that  can  be  against  you.  Say 
not  that  you  are  the  sons  of  the  Most  High,  and  born 
from  above,  unless  you  can  prove  your  descent,  by  dar- 


444  SERMON  XXIX. 

ing  to  be  holy  in  spite  of  devils  and  men.  The  battle 
may  be  hot,  but  it  cannot  last  long.  Death  will  soon 
come,  and  tell  you,  that  your  warfare  is  accomplished  ; 
and  angels,  who  now  minister  to  you  with  joy,  will  car- 
ry you  home  in  triumph  to  your  Father's  house;  and 
the  Redeemer,  by  whose  blood  and  Spirit  you  over- 
come, will  put  the  crown  upon  your  heads,  and  "  grant 
unto  you  to  sit  with  him  in  his  throne,  even  as  he  also 
overcame,  and  is  set  down  with  the  Father  in  his  throne." 

Sdly.  The  stability  of  the  gospel-church  is  a  necessa- 
ry consequence  of  the  doctrine  in  my  text.  Ziou's  King 
shall  have  a  seed  to  serve  him  as  long  as  sun  and  moon 
endure.  The  church  he  hath  purchased  with  his  blood, 
is  built  upon  a  rock  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
never  prevail.  The  heathen  may  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things ;  the  kings  of  the  earth  may  set 
themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together,  against 
the  Lord,  and  against  his  anointed,  saying.  Let  us  break 
their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  corcls  from  us : 
But  he  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh;  the  Lord 
shall  have  them  in  derision  ;  and  at  length  he  shall  speak 
unto  them  in  his  wrath,  and  vex  them  in  his  sore  dis- 
pleasure. The  proudest  of  his  enemies  shall  lick  the 
dust,  when  he  ariseth  to  plead  the  cause  that  is  his  own ; 
and  therefore  his  people  may  well  rejoice  under  the 
heaviest  pressure  of  affliction,  and  look  by  faith  through 
the  darkest  cloud,  to  the  complete  redemption  of  Israel 
from  all  liis  troubles.  "  For  Jerusalem  shall  be  a  bur- 
densome stone  for  all  people  :  all  that  burden  themselves 
with  it  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  though  all  the  people  of 
the  earth  should  be  gathered  together  against  it." 

^thly.  This  important  sulyect  suggests  a  variety  of 
useful  instructions  to  all  who  bear  office  in  the  church 
of  Christ;  and  more  especially  to  those  who  labour  in 


SERMON  XXIX.  445 

word  and  doctrine.  To  us  is  committed  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation,  that  by  the  manifestation  of  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus,  the  eyes  of  sinners  may  be  opened,  and 
they  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God.  We  are  commanded  to  preach  the 
word,  to  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season,  to  re- 
prove, rebuke,  and  exhort,  with  all  long-suifering  and 
doctrine."  *'  In  meekness  instructing  those  that  oppose 
themselves ;  if  God  peradventure  will  give  them  repen- 
tance to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth ;  and  that  they 
may  recover  themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil, 
who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at  his  will." 

This,  my  fathers  and  brethren,  is  the  great  aim  of  the 
sacred  office  we  bear;  to  which,  not  our  public  ministra- 
tions only,  but  every  part  of  our  conduct,  ought  to  be 
subservient.  Let  us  keep  this  aim  continually  in  our  eye, 
as  a  lamp  to  our  feet,  and  a  light  unto  our  path ;  and,  in 
particular,  let  us  place  it  full  in  our  view  when  we  are 
assembled  together  in  the  name  of  our  Lord,  to  delibe- 
rate  and  judge  in  matters  which  belong  to  his  spiritual 
kingdom;  remembering,  that  as  all  our  authority  is  de- 
rived from  him,  so  the  exercise  of  that  authority  can  be 
no  further  valid  than  as  it  is  regulated  by  his  will,  and 
subordinated  to  the  purpose  for  which  the  Son  of  God 
was  manifested ;  and  consequently,  that  every  act  and 
decision  of  an  opposite  tendency,  shall  be  finally  dis- 
owned and  reprobated  by  him  who  came  to  destroy  the 
works  of  the  devil.  Amen. 


Philippians  i.  27. 

Only  let  your  conversation  he  as  it  becometh  the  gospel 
of  Christ. 


It  will  be  to  little  purpose  to  inquire  what  kind  of 
conversation  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ,  till  we  be 
satisfied,  in  the  first  place,  that  this  charge,  which  was 
originally  addressed  to  the  Philippians,  may,  with  equal 
propriety,  be  addressed  to  us. 

The  qualifying  particle  only,  with  which  the  Apostle 
introduces  the  exhortation,  plainly  denotes,  that,  in  his 
own  judgment,  the  demand  he  made  was  no  less  mo- 
derate tiian  it  was  just:  Only  let  your  conversation  be 
as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ.  This  is  all  I  re- 
quire ;  and  you  cannot  with  decency  ask,  nor  in  reason 
ho[)e,  that  less  should  be  accepted.  To  this  conclusion 
lie  was  naturally  led  by  the  character  and  circumstances 
of  those  to  whom  he  wrote.  His  epistle  was  inscribed, 
not  to  unbelieving  Jews  or  Gentiles,  but  to  saints  in 
Christ  Jesus;  to  men  who  had  been  converted  to  the 
Christian  faith,  as  we  learn  from  the  foregoing  part  of 
the  chapter.  And  it  is  material  to  observe,  that  as  Chris- 
tianity had  been  treated  with  peculiar  indignity  at  Phi- 
lippi,  where  Paul  and  his  companion  Silas  were,  by  or- 
der of  the  magistrates,  publicly  scourged  and  cast  into 
prison,  therefore  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  in  such  a 
place,  was  justly  entitled  to  the  most  favourable  construc- 
tion :  for  notliing  less  than  a  deep  conviction  of  its  truth 


SERMON  XXX.  44/7 

and  excellence  could  be  supposed  to  have  induced  any 
inhabitant  of  that  city  to  profess  a  religion  that  inevita- 
bly exposed  him  to  those  contemptuous,  as  well  as  pain- 
ful sujQferings,  which  a  generous  and  feeling  mind  would 
of  all  others  most  anxiously  wish  to  avoid. 

Surely,  then,  the  Apostle  could  have  no  reason  to  sus- 
pect, that  a  demand  so  moderate  would  either  offend  or 
surprise  them  :  Let  your  conversation  he  as  it  becometh 
the  gospel  of  Christ.  You  have  embraced  the  faiih  of  the 
gospel,  and  continue  to  make  an  open  confession  of  it, 
without  any  allurements  of  a  temporal  nature,  nay,  in 
the  face  of  the  most  obvious  and  alarming  discourage- 
ments; and  therefore,  as  there  can  be  no  room  to  call  in 
question  either  your  belief  of  its  doctrines,  or  your  re- 
gard to  its  laws,  I  may,  without  presumption,  hope  to 
obtain  your  consent,  when  I  only  exhort  you  to  act  a 
consistent  and  uniform  part,  by  suiting  your  conversa- 
tion to  the  religion  you  have  chosen,  and  have  the  forti- 
tude to  avow. 

It  is  true,  and  it  ought  to  be  gratefully  acknowledged, 
that  our  present  situation  in  these  lands  is  very  different 
from  that  of  the  ancient  Philippians.  Christianity,  as 
reformed  from  the  corruptions  of  Popery,  is  the  esta- 
blished religion  of  our  country :  so  that  if  a  man  believe 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  he  may,  with  the  most  perfect  safe- 
ty to  his  person  and  property,  make  as  public  a  confes- 
sion of  his  faith  as  he  inclines.  But  it  is  equally  true, 
that  no  man  is  compelled  by  the  terrors  of  persecution 
to  profess  Christianity,  if  he  do  not  believe  it;  nay,  the 
prefession  of  incredulity  itself,  if  it  break  not  forth  into 
blasphemy,  aggravated  by  sedition,  dotli  not  always 
prove  an  unsurmountable  bar  in  the  way  to  any  office, 
civil  or  military,  which  the  person  is  otherwise  qualified 
to  fill,  or  hath  interest  to  obtain :  and  therefore,  though 


4iS  SERMON  XXX. 

tlie  mere  profession  of  Christianity  be  not  attended  with 
any  temporal  inconveniences,  yet  as  the  want  of  such 
profession  doth  not  exclude  a  man  from  any  temporal 
advantages,  and  as  neither  the  profession  nor  practice 
of  Christianity  can  be  said,  in  the  ordinary  course  of 
things,  to  help  any  man  forward  in  the  line  of  worldly 
promotion ;  hence  it  follows,  that  every  baplizeil  person, 
who  hath  not  openly  renounced  "  the  Lord  that  bought 
liim,"  but  still  retains  the  name  of  Christian,  and  would 
complain  of  abuse  and  injury  if  his  title  to  that  appella- 
tion were  either  denied  or  called  in  question,  must  be 
considered  as  acting  from  the  freest  choice  in  the  pro. 
fession  he  makes;  and  can  have  no  reason  to  be  startled, 
far  less  to  be  offended,  when  we  address  him  in  the 
words  of  this  holy  Apostle,  Let  your  conversation  be  as 
it  hecometh  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Should  it  be  otherwise 
with  any  of  us,  the  consequences  are  obvious;  and  upon 
every  supposition  we  can  make,  must  prove  equally  fa- 
tal to  our  peace  and  to  our  honour. 

If  we  believe  not  the  gospel,  why  do  we  profess  it? 
To  lie  in  any  case  is  shameful,  how  great  soever  the 
temptation  may  be:  but  to  lie  deliberately  without  any 
temptation  at  all,  which,  as  I  just  now  observed,  is  the 
present  case  ;  nay,  to  persist  in  that  lie  from  day  to  day, 
when  telling  the  truth  could  not  hurt  nor  endanger  any 
secular  interest  whatsoever,  is  a  baseness  the  most  su- 
perfluous, and  consequently  the  most  contemptible,  that 
can  possibly  be  imagined. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  we  truly  believe  what  we  profess, 
what  an  odious  as  well  as  disgraceful  appearance  must 
we  make,  when  our  conversation  is  such  as  dotli  not  be- 
come the  gospel  of  Christ?  By  '^  holding  tlie  truth  in 
unrighteousness,"  and  counteracting  the  dictates  of  re- 
ligion, and  the  conviction  of  our  own  minds;  we  expose 


SERMON  XXX.  449 

ourselves  to  tbe  lashes  of  that  self-reproach  which  will 
not  fail  to  occupy  every  lucid  interval  betwixt  the  tu- 
multuous gratifications  of  passion  and  appetite;  while  at 
the  same  time,  by  continuing  to  profess  that  gospel  we 
counteract,  we  every  day  publish  our  shame  and  misery 
to  the  world  around  us,  and  virtually  confess,  that  we  are 
guilty  and  self-condemned  before  all  who  have  an  op- 
portunity of  observing  onr  conduct. 

So  that  the  subject  of  my  text  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant that  can  employ  our  attention,  as  our  practical 
regard  to  this  demand  of  the  Apostle  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary to  preserve  the  peace  and  purity  of  our  own 
hearts,  and  to  support  that  character  which  the  most 
profligate  reverence,  and  which  all  who  can  discern  real 
beauty  and  excellence  will  covet  to  possess;  I  mean, 
the  venerable  character  of  an  upright  man. 

Having  thus  prepared  the  way,  by  showing,  that  the 
same  charge  which  was  primarily  addressed  to  the  Phi- 
lippians,  may,  with  strict  justice  and  propriety,  be  ex- 
tended to  us,  let  us  now  proceed  to  examine,  with  atten- 
tion and  candour,  the  standard  to  which  our  conformity 
is  enjoined ;  or,  in  other  words,  let  us  inquire  into  that 
gospel  of  Christ  to  which  our  conversation,  that  is,  the 
Avholc  of  our  external  conduct,  as  expressing  the  in- 
ward temper  of  our  hearts,  ought  to  be  suited. 

Among  the  various  particulars  included  in  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  the  two  following  may  be  selected  as  the  most 
distinguishing  and  comprehensive,  namely, 

I.  The  Doctrines  we  are  tauglit  to  believe  ;  and, 

II.  The  Laws  we  are  commanded  to  obey. 

Each  of  these  particulars  I  shall  examine  apart;  from 
whence  we  shall  discover,  with  ease  and  certainty,  what 
manner  of  conversation  it  is  that  may  be  said  to  become 
the  gospel  of  Christ, 

VOL.  I.  3  I 


4,50  SERMON  XXX. 

I.  1  BEGIN  with  the  doctrines  of  the  e;ospel,  or  the 
truths  we  are  taught  to  helieve.  And  without  descend- 
ing to  the  peculiar  tenets,  or  modes  of  expression,  hy 
wliich  Christians  of  any  denomination  have  chosen  to 
distinguish  themselves,  I  shall  contine  myself  entirely  to 
those  capital  points,  in  which  the  sober  and  intelligent 
of  almost  every  denomination  will  be  found  to  agree. 

Now  the  gospel,  strictly  so  called,  or  that  "  word  of 
reconciliation,"  the  substance  whereof  the  Apostle  hath 
elsewhere  expressed  in  one  short  sentence,  to  wit,  "That 
God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them,"  necessarily 
supposes,  that  man  is  in  a  state  of  distance  and  aliena- 
tion from  God,  liable  to  punishment  in  consequence  of 
his  apostacy;  and  so  perverted  and  enfeebled,  that  he 
bath  neither  the  disposition  nor  the  ability  to  do  any 
thing  that  can  be  effectual  for  his  own  recovery. 

It  informs  us,  that  "  God,  who  spared  not  the  angels 
that  sinned,  but  hath  reserved  them  in  everlasting  chains 
under  darkness  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day/'  so 
pitied  the  human  race,  ^'  that  he  sent  his  only  begotten 
Son  into  the  world,  not  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that 
the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  The  nature  and 
dignity  of  this  great  Deliverer  are  thus  described  by  an 
inspired  Apostle :  *'In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  and 
the  AVord  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  All 
things  were  made  by  him;  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made."  This  ''  Wonl,"  adds  he, 
"  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt"  or  tabernacled  "  among 
men."  "  He  who  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought 
it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men  ;  and  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  un- 


SERMON  XXX.  451 

to  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  This  death  is 
uniformly  represented  l)y  all  the  New-Testament  wri- 
ters  as  an  atoning  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men.  Hence 
Christ  is  styled  *<  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  worUl."  He  is  said  to  "  have  borne  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,"  and  *^  to  have  made 
peace  by  the  bU>od  of  his  cross ;"  to  have  "  been  made 
sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him;"  and  ''  to  have  suflered, 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God." 
The  apostle  John  calls  him  *'  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins;"  and  the  author  of  this  epistle,  in  another  letter 
addressed  to  the  Christians  at  Rome,  (the  principal  aim 
whereof  was  to  explain  and  vindicate  this  important 
doctrine)  expressly  says,  that  "  we  are  justified  freely 
by  the  grace  of  God,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous, 
ness  for  the  remission  of  sin;  that  he  may  be  just,  and 
the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus." 

The  gospel  doth  every  where  present  him  to  our  view, 
as  di  powerful,  a  suitable,  yea,  a  necessary  Saviour;  so 
necessary,  that  "there  is  not  salvation  in  any  other;" 
80  powerful,  that  "  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him;"  and  so  suited  to  the  cir- 
cumstances of  fallen  creatures,  that  they  who  are  sunk 
into  the  most  deplorable  state  of  ignorance,  guilt,  pollu- 
tion, and  servitude,  are  rendered  "  complete  in  him," 
*'  who  of  God  is  made  unto  them  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  sanctification,  and  redemption." 

We  are  further  taught,  thai  faith  in  Christ,  or  a  cor- 
dial acceptance  of  him,  in  the  full  extent  of  his  charac- 
ter as  Mediator,  is  the  appointed  means  whereby  wc 
become  interested  in  this  all-sufficient  Saviour.  For  "this 


153  SERMON  XXX. 

is  the  command  of  God,  that  we  believe  on  the  name 
of  his  8on  Jesus  Christ."  "  He  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  hath  everlasting  life;  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life,  but  (he  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him." 
Which  last  expression  plainly  implies,  that  the  sinner 
is  previously  under  a  sentence  of  condemnation  ;  and 
that  by  rejecting  the  offered  ransorae,  the  sentence  re- 
mains in  full  force,  and  his  former  guilt  becomes  still 
more  aggravated  by  his  ingratitude  and  obstinacy : 
whereas  upon  our  believing  in  Christ  Jesus,  we  forth- 
with obtain  the  remission  of  sins;  for  "  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus cleanseth  from  all  sin."  And  "  being  thus  justified 
by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ:"  nay,  we  are  adopted  into  the  family  of 
God:  for  "^  to  as  many  as  receive  Christ,  to  them  gives 
lie  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  e\en  to  them  that 
believe  on  his  name."  Neither  is  this  a  mere  honorary 
title;  but  they  on  whom  it  is  conferred  are  actually  en- 
riched with  all  the  privileges  the  title  imports:  together 
with  the  dignity,  they  receive  the  nature  of  children. 
They  are  regenerated  by  grace;  the  Spirit  is  given  to 
them,  both  as  a  sanctifier  and  a  comforter,  to  heal  their 
diseases,  and  to  make  them  *'  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature ;"  ^*  to  shed  abroad  the  love  of  God  in  their 
hearts;"  and  to  bring  them  with  filial  boldness  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  where  they  shall  obtain  mercy,  and  find 
grace  to  help  them  in  every  time  of  need,  till  the  divine 
life,  which  is  begun  on  earth,  shall  attain  its  full  per- 
fection in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  that  undefiled  and 
permanent  "  inheritance,  which  is  reserved  for  all  those 
who,  being  born  of  God,  are  kept  by  his  power  through 
faith  unto  salvation." 

Once  more,  the  gospel   informs  us,   that  this  Jesus, 
<^  who  died  for  our  sins,  rose  again  for  our  justification  ;" 


SERMON  XXX.  453 

hereby  giving  the  most  authentic  evidence,  that  he  had 
finished  his  great  undertaking,  and  was  accepted  by  the 
Father  in  all  that  he  taught,  and  acted,  and  suffered  up- 
on earth;  ''  that  he  ascended  up  on  high,''  as  a  trium- 
phant conqueror,  *' leading  captivity  captive;"  u  here, 
being  constituted  "  head  over  all  things  for  the  church," 
be  now  sits  enthroned  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  from 
whence  he  shall  once  more  descend  to  this  earth,  not  in 
the  form  of  a  servant,  but  clothed  with  Majesty,  and 
attended  by  all  the  holy  angels,  to  gather  together  his 
elect,  in  whom  he  shall  be  glorified ;  while  at  the  same 
time,  as  an  awful  and  righteous  Judge,  he  shall  "  take 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not 
his  gospel ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  de- 
struction from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power." 

All  who  are  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures  must  be 
sensible,  that  in  delivering  this  summary  of  Christian 
doctrine,  I  have  done  little  more  than  repeated  the 
words  of  the  New-Testament  writers  as  they  are  trans- 
lated into  our  own  language ;  and  therefore  I  m;iy  take 
it  for  granted,  that  those  capital  articles,  to  which  many 
others  might  have  been  added,  will  readily  be  admitted 
to  belon::;  to  tlip.  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  remains,  then,  to  be  inquired.  What  influence  the 
faith  of  these  interesting  truths  ought  in  reason  to  have 
upon  our  temper  and  practice?  or,  in  other  words,  what 
manner  of  conversation  is  suited  to  such  belief? 

That  we  may  he  qualified  to  judge  with  greater  im- 
partiality, let  us  at  present  endeavour  to  forget,  if  pos- 
sible, our  personal  concern  in  the  question?  and  having 
supposed  that  we  had  received  information  of  other  crea- 
tures in  a  state  of  apostacy  from  God,  who  were  favour- 
ed with  a  revelation  of  the  same  important  truths  which 


454<  SERMON  XXX. 

we  have  found  to  be  contained  in  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
let  each  of  us  inquire  at  his  own  heart,  what  effects  the 
firm  belief  of  these  truths  might  be  expected  to  produce 
in  their  temper  and  practice? 

Would  we  not  conclude,  without  hesitation,  that  a 
discovery  of  the  awful  forfeiture  they  had  incurred  would 
afflict  their  souls  in  the  most  sensible  manner ;  and  so 
possess  them  with  grief,  and  shame,  and  the  fearful  ap. 
prehensions  <if  deserved  punishment,  that  all  the  enjoy- 
ments of  a  short  precarious  life  would  lose  their  relish, 
till  they  certainly  knew  that  there  was  a  possibility  at 
least  of  obtaining  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  of  regain- 
ing the  friendship  of  their  offended  Sovereign?  Would 
it  not  occur  to  us  as  a  probable,  or  rather  a  necessary, 
consequence,  of  this  inward  distress,  that,  upon  hearing 
the  remotest  intimation  of  a  scheme  for  their  recovery, 
they  would  anxiously  inquire  into  the  foundation  of  such 
report ;  and  when  they  discovered  the  truth  of  it,  that 
they  would  welcome  the  offered  mercy  with  humble 
gratitude,  and  throw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  that  gen- 
erous friend  who  had  interposed  for  their  relief;  resign- 
ing themselves,  without  reserve,  to  his  disposal  and  go- 
vernment, in  that  very  manner  which  is  described  and 
enjoined  by  the  gospel  of  Christ? 

Again,  let  me  ask,  What  do  you  think  would  be  the 
natural  effects  of  pardon  obtained,  and  peace  restored 
to  their  troubled  minds,  upon  tiiat  cordial  acceptance  of 
the  remedy  provided  for  them  which  I  have  just  now 
supposed?  Could  any  of  us  doubt  that  their  hearts 
•would  be  filled  with  the  sincerest  joy,  and  that  out  of 
the  abundance  of  their  hearts  their  lips  would  show 
forth  the  praises  of  their  Deliverer,  and  utter  the  voice 
of  gratitude  and  love  in  such  language  as  this :  ^^  Bless 
the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me  bless  his 


SERMON  XXX.  455 

holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not 
all  his  benefits;  who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities,  who 
healeth  all  thy  diseases,  who  hath  redeemed  thy  life 
from  destruction,  and  crowned  thee  with  loving  kind- 
ness, and  with  tender  mercies."  "  Return  unto  thy  rest, 
O  my  soul;  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with 
thee." 

But  here  likewise  I  must  ask,  Do  you  not  think  that 
this  joy  of  theirs  would  be  of  a  nature  so  pure  and  deli- 
cate, as  to  disdain  any  alliance  with  carnal  mirth  and  le- 
vity ?  Would  it  not  be  that  kind  of  joy  which  a  con- 
demned criminal  may  be  supposed  to  feel  upon  receiv- 
ing the  gracious  pardon  of  his  sovereign ;  who,  while  he 
tastes  all  the  sweetness  of  his  prince's  clemency,  and 
exults  in  the  assurance  of  present  safety,  yet  cannot  help 
shuddering  when  he  looks  back  to  the  dungeon  where 
be  lay  imprisoned,  and  recollects  the  danger  he  hath 
happily  escaped? 

Surely  all  who  have  obtained  mercy  will  perceive  and 
acknowledge  the  propriety  of  that  advice,  "  Serve  the 
Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling."  None  in- 
deed have  such  rational  grounds  of  joy;  and  they  give 
an  unfair  representation  of  the  privileges  that  belong  to 
the  sons  of  God,  who  walk  in  heaviness,  and  wear  a  de- 
jected, melancholy  aspect.  But  still  the  cheerfulness  of 
those  who  have  passed  from  death  to  life,  will,  and  ought 
to  have  an  air  of  composure  and  solemnity,  that  will  ea- 
sily distinguish  it  from  the  loose,  intemperate  mirth  of 
the  sensualist,  which  springs  from  no  higher  source  than 
the  gratification  of  those  appetites  he  hath  in  common 
with  the  beasts  that  perish,  or  the  increase  of  his  corn, 
and  wine,  and  oil.  Besides,  the  prospect  of  a  future 
judgment,  which  I  mentioned  as  one  of  the  great  objects 
of  belief,  could  not  fail  to  overawe  their  minds,  and  to 


456  SERMON  XXX. 

kepp  tliem  in  a  sober  and  serious  frame,  rendering  them 
no  less  attentive  to  their  thoughts  than  to  their  words 
and  actions;  and  constantly  disposing  them  to  "walk 
circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise;"  to  shun  the 
doubtful  as  well  as  the  forbidden  ground,  "  abstaining 
evi-n  from  the  appearance  of  evil."  While,  at  the  same 
time,  the  animating  hope  of  a  glorious  immortality  would 
render  them  cool  and  indifferent  to  all  the  enjoyments  of 
a  present  world  ;  support  them  under  every  thing  that 
is  [)ainful  and  afflicting;  and  powerfully  incite  them  to 
run  with  patience  the  race  set  before  them,  till  in  due 
time  they  should  obtain  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the 
complete  and  everlasting  salvation  of  their  souls. 

Such,  we  might  well  conclude,  would  be  the  influence 
of  Christian  faith  upon  the  habitual  frame  and  temper 
of  their  hearts. 

But  as  my  text  speaks  of  a  conversation  becoming 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  let  us  inquire  more  particularly  in- 
to those  visible  effects  which  the  trutlis  1  formerly  men- 
tioned might  naturally  be  supposed  to  produce  in  the 
conthict  of  those  who  sincerely  believed  them;  first, 
with  respect  to  God;  and,  secondly,  with  regard  to  their 
fellow- men. 

First,  With  respect  to  God.  We  should  hardly  be 
able  to  doubt,  that  creatures  redeemed  from  misery,  dig- 
nified with  such  honours,  and  enriched  with  such  privi- 
leges, would  be  fond  of  expressing  their  gratitude  in  the 
most  public  and  significant  manner,  and  embrace  every 
opportunity  of  celebrating  the  praises  of  their  great  De- 
liverer. We  should  certainly  lake  it  for  granted,  that  if 
any  day  was  set  apart  for  his  more  immediate  worship 
and  service,  they  would  long  for  the  return  of  that  pre- 
cious season,  and  '"wait  for  it  more  than  they  that  watch 
for  the  morning."  We  should  not  be  able  to  suppose, 


SERMON  XXX.  457 

that  they  would  reckon  it  a  burtleiisorae  institution,  and 
say,  '*  What  a  weariness  is  it?"  or,  "when  will  the 
Sabbath  be  over?"  far  less  that  they  would  waste  it  in 
idleness,  profane  it  by  gaming,  intemperance,  and  lewd- 
ness; or  evon  debase  it  by  those  employments  which  are 
lawful  on  other  days.  Such  presumptuous  ingratitude 
would  appear  so  shocking,  that  we  should  not  dare  to 
suspect,  and  least  of  all  should  we  believe,  without  ocu- 
lar proof,  tliat  creatures  endued  with  reason  would  be 
guilty  of  it. 

Again,  if  any  ordinance  was  appointed  for  the  express 
purpose  of  commemorating  redeeming  love,  and  showing 
forth  the  death  of  that  compassionate  Saviour,  who  was 
'^  wounded  for  their  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  their 
sins,  that  by  his  stripes  they  might  be  healed,"  could 
we  doubt,  that  they  would  regard  it  as  a  distinguishing 
privilege,  and  attend  upon  it  with  reverence,  love,  and 
joy?  especially  if  one  great  end  of  its  institution  was  to 
confirm  their  faith  of  the  divine  friendship,  by  putting 
into  their  hands  an  authentic  seal  of  that  well-ordered 
covenant,  which  conveys  to  every  sincere  believer  aa 
irrevocable  title  to  all  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ? 
This  appears  so  becoming,  and  withal  so  conducive  to 
their  personal  comfort  and  interest,  that  one  should  think 
a  bare  permission  to  attend  upon  such  an  ordinance  might 
sufEce,  and  that  there  scarcely  needed  the  authority  of  a 
dying  command  to  enforce  the  observation  of  it. 

Once  more;  might  it  not  be  hoped,  that  creatures  who 
believed  and  confessed  that  they  were  redeemed  from 
death  by  an  act  of  pure  grace,  would  judge  it  th<'ir  in- 
dispensable duty  to  live  unto  him  by  whose  mercy  it 
was  that  they  lived  at  all?  that  they  would  feel  in  their 
hearts,  and   practiciUy  acknowledge  the  constraining 

force  of  such  exhortations  as  these :  "  Ye  are  not  your 

VOL.  r»  3  k 


458  SERMON  XXX. 

own,  ye  are  bought  with  a  price;  therefore  glorify  your 
Redeemer  in  your  bodies  and  in  your  spirits  which  are 
his:"  ''Ye  were  some  time  darkness,  but  now  are  ye 
light  in  the  Lord;  walk  as  children  of  the  light:"  and, 
"  If  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who,  without  respect  of  per- 
sons, jiidgeth  according  to  every  man's  work,  pass  the 
time  of  your  sojourning  here  in  fear;  forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  ye  w^ere  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things, 
as  silver  and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
as  of  a  Lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot?" 
Would  you  think  it  creditabh',  or  even  possible,  that 
with  such  great  and  interesting  objects  in  their  eye,  they 
could  deliberately  and  wilfully  trample  upon  his  autho- 
rity, by  breaking  his  laws;  or  arraign  the  wisdom  and 
justice  of  his  government  by  fretting  and  murmuring 
against  any  of  his  dispensations?  Doth  it  not  seem  far 
more  likely,  that  they  would  habitually  be  disposed  to 
say,  ^*  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  *^0  that 
my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  statutes!"  Or  if  at 
any  time  they  should  be  exercised  with  trials  and  suf- 
ferings, that  the  language  of  their  li|)s  and  hearts  w(»uld 
be,  '•  Here  am  I,  let  the  Lord  do  unto  me  as  seemeth 
good  unto  him  :"  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord?" 

These  conclusions  appear  so  reasonable,  and  indeed 
so  moderate,  that,  were  it  possible  for  us  to  forget  that 
we  ourselves  are  parties  to  the  cause  in  question,  I  am 
verily  persuaded  this  whole  audience  would  readily  ac- 
quiesce in  them  without  one  dissenting  voice.  Let  us 
then  proceed  to  inquire,  in  the 

Second  place,  What  influence  the  faith  of  the  gospel 
might  be  expected  to  have  upon  the  conduct  of  such  crea- 
tures in  their  social  intercourse  one  with  another? 

It  might  suffice  to  observe  in  general,  that  the  su- 


SERMON  XXX.  459 

preme  love  to  tlieir  God  and  Saviour,  which  the  true 
failh  of  his  rich  and  unmerited  grace  could  not  fail  to  ia- 
S()ire,  wouM  naturally,  and  even  necessarily,  lead  them 
to  listen  wilh  becoming  attention  and  reverence  to  all 
the  intimations  of  his  will,  and  habitually  dispose  them 
to  perform,  with  alacrity  and  zeal,  what  duties  soever 
he  should  be  pleased  to  enjoin.  Upon  this  obvious  prin- 
ciple, then,  nothing  more  would  be  needful  for  the  illus- 
tration of  this  head,  than  to  collect  from  the  sacred  re- 
cords the  several  laws  concerning  truth,  justice,  mercy, 
beneficence,  and  any  other  precepts  that  regarded  them 
in  their  social  state;  as  we  should  not  be  able  to  enter- 
tain a  doubt,  that,  so  far  as  the  imperfection  of  their  na- 
ture permitted,  these  would  be  the  invariable  rules  of 
their  conduct.  But  as  the  laws  of  the  gospel  are  after- 
wards to  be  considered  apart  by  themselves,  I  shall  at 
present  confine  our  incpiiry  to  the  influence  which  a  se- 
rious belief  of  the  great  doctrines  of  Christianity  might 
be  supposed  to  have  upon  those  kinds  of  intercourse 
which  more  immediately  pertained  to  their  common  sal- 
vation. Say,  then,  doth  it  not  appear  highly  probable, 
that  they  who  relished  the  joyful  tidings,  while  they 
made  them  the  subject  of  their  own  delightful  medita- 
tion, would  likewise  take  pleasure  in  imparting  them  to 
others,  especially  to  th(»se  with  whom  they  were  most 
intimately  connected  ?  that  parents  in  particular  would 
rehearse  and  commend  them  to  their  children;  and  that 
in  every  family,  the  God  of  all  grace,  and  the  Saviour 
of  a  lost  v/orld,  would  be  presented  with  the  morning 
and  evening  sacrifices  of  humble  adoration,  of  fervent 
prayer,  and  of  thankful  praise? 

How  would  they  behave,  <lo  you  think,  to  such  of 
their  brethren,  if  any  such  there  were,  wIkj  negl-cted 
the  great  salvation,  and  still  remained  in  their  natural 


460  SERMON  XXX. 

state  of  distance  and  alienation  from  God  ?  Would  tliey 
regard  them  with  supercilious  conlempt,  or  treat  them 
with  harsh  severity?  would  they  lay  aside  all  concern 
for  their  recovery,  and  leave  them  to  perish  in  their  fol- 
ly? or  rather,  would  they  not  look  upon  them  with  an 
eye  of  the  tenderest  pity;  and.  regarding  them  as  crimi- 
nals, who,  though  at  present  under  an  awful  sentence  of 
condemnation,  may  nevertheless  obtain  mercy,  even  as 
they  themselves  have  obtained  mercy?  wimld  they  not 
take  hold  of  every  favourable  opportunity,  nay,  may  we 
not  conclude,  that  they  would  even  seek  out  op|>ortuni- 
ties  of  awakening  them  to  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  dan- 
ger, that  they  mii^ht  feel  tliemselves  constrained  to  im- 
plore the  protection  of  that  good  Shepherd  who  laid 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep,  and  came  fr(tm  heaven  to 
earth  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost? 

View  them  once  more  in  their  intercourse  with  those 
who  have  obtained  the  same  grtice,  and  are  become  co- 
heirs of  the  same  incorruptit>le  inheritance.  Would  you 
not  take  it  for  granted,  that  they  could  not  be  long  to- 
gether, without  talking  of  those  matters  that  most  nearly 
concerned  them?  Surely  none  could  suspect,  that  in  a 
company  of  such  persons,  it  would  ever  be  reckoned  a 
breach  of  good  manners  to  introduce  any  thing  that  rela- 
ted to  their  Father  in  heaven ;  to  his  house  with  many 
mansions,  where  they  all  hoped  to  dwell;  or  to  that  pre- 
cious Redeemer,  who  hath  gone  before  to  prepare  a  place 
for  thim.  Might  it  not  rather  be  expected,  that  besides 
occasional  converse  upon  subjects  of  so  interesting  a  na- 
ture, they  would  choose  to  set  apart  some  portions  of 
time  for  the  sole  purpose  of  *^  comforting  themselves  to- 
gether, and  edifying  one  another,''  according  to  the  early 
practice  of  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica,  which  our 
Apostle  so  highly  commends^  1  Thess.  v.  11,? 


SERMON  XXX.  461 

Thus  bave  T  given  you  my  cool,  deliberate  sentiments 
upon  tl«e  practical  influence  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  and  that  kind  of  conversation  towards  God  and 
man  which  is  hest  suiied  to  the  belief  of  them.  Should 
any  indeed  be  so  perverse  as  to  resist  the  influence  of 
these  doctrines,,  and  counteraci  their  native  and  most  ob- 
vious tendency,  while  at  the  same  time  they  acknow- 
ledged the  evidence  of  their  truth,  it  would  not  at  all 
surprise  me,  to  see  them  crowding,  from  day  to  day  the 
public  theatres,  that  the  regularify  and  decorum  of  a  fic- 
titious representation  might  draw  their  attention  away 
from  that  real  and  ill-conducted  medley  in  which  they 
themselves  acted  their  disgraceful  parts.  1  should  not 
wonder  to  behold  them  flying  with  eagerness  to  cards 
and  dice,  and  seeking  aid  from  every  engine  of  dissipa- 
tion and  noise,  to  conceal  the  lapse  of  time,  and  to  bear 
down  the  clamours  of  an  accusing  conscience.  It  w  onld 
not  even  surprise  me  to  see  them  rushing  headlong  into 
the  haunts  of  riot  and  debauch,  that  the  intoxicating  cup 
might  either  stupify  or  madden  their  reason;  which,  if 
left  to  its  sober  exercise,  would  anticipate  the  evil  day, 
and  torment  them  before  the  time.  Such  things  as  these 
I  should  expect  to  see;  butft)r  none  of  them  could  I  find 
any  |)lace  at  all  in  the  natural  and  orderly  stale  of  rea- 
sonable creatures,  whose  temper  and  conduct,  as  1  have 
all  along  supposed,  were  formed  and  regulated  by  the 
doctrines  of  the  gospel. 

How  far  my  reasoning  upon  this  branch  of  the  sub- 
ject hath  been  just  will  more  fully  appear  afterwards. 
It  no  doubt  exhiliits  to  our  view  a  state  of  things  widely 
different  from  what  we  at  present  behold;  which,  I  am 
aware,  may  furnish  us  all  with  matter  of  humbling  and 
painful  reflection.  This,  however,  shall  not  discourage 
me  from  proceeding  in  my  inquiry;  as  I  well  know,  that 


463  SERMON  XXXI. 

if,  "by  the  sadness  of  the  countenance  the  heart  be 
made  better,"  we  shall  in  the  issue  be  infinite  gainers, 
and  obtain  from  him,  who  is  ^'  the  comforter  of  those 
that  are  cast  down,"  "  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and 
the  garments  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness." 

May  God  dispose  and  enable  us  all  to  "judge  righ- 
teous judgment."  Amen, 


Philippians  i.  27. 

Only  let  your  conversation  he  as  it  becometh  the  gospel 
of  Christ. 


I^Ve  have  already  considered  the  most  essential  doc- 
trines contained  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  influ- 
ence that  the  cordial  belief  of  such  interesting  truths 
might  be  expected  to  have  upon  our  temper  and  practice. 
1  am  not  sensible  that  any  of  the  conclusions  I  drew 
were  strained,  or  even  obscure.  To  me  they  appeared, 
and,  after  the  most  serious  and  impartial  examination, 
still  do  appear,  so  reasonable  and  obvious,  and  withal 
so  moderate,  that  I  cannot  think  they  are  liable  to  any 
just  objection. 

At  the  same  time,  as  they  present  to  our  view  a  state 
of  things  so  widely  diflferent  from  that  which  daily  pass- 
eth  before  our  eyes,  1  shall  now  proceed  to  consider  the 
LAWS  or  precepts  of  our  holy  religion  ;  that,  from  the  re- 
view  of  these,  we  may  discover,  with  still  greater  certain- 


SERMON  XXXI.  463 

ty,  what  the  conversation  is  that  may  be  said  to  become 
the  gospel  of  Christ, 

But  l)efore  1  descend  to  particulars  upon  this  exten- 
sive subject,  I  must  beg  your  attention  to  a  few  remarks 
I  have  to  make  upon  the  precepts  or  laws  of  the  gospel 
in  general. 

With  regard  to  their  authority ,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
He  who  enacted  them  hath  an  unquestionable  right  to 
our  most  perfect  obedience  :  '*  In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God :  all  things  vvere  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was 
not  any  thing  made  that  was  made."  We  are  therefore 
his  property  in  the  most  absolute  and  unlimited  sense  of 
that  expression.  He  called  us  into  being  when  as  yet  we 
were  not,  and  every  moment  he  sustains  that  existence 
which  he  gave  us;  for  "in  him  we  live  and  move.'' 
Nay,  all  that  we  possess  is  so  necessarily  dependant 
upon  him,  that  with  regard  to  soul,  and  body,  and  out- 
ward estate,  we  have  nothing  but  what  we  daily  receive 
from  his  liberal  hand.    Besides   this  original  and  una- 
lienable right  to  govern  us,  there  is  another  title,  which, 
as  Christians,  we  profess  to  acknowledge,  and  ought  al- 
ways to  do  it  with  the  warmest  and  most  humble  grati- 
tude;  I  mean,  the  right  he  hath  obtained  by  redemption 
and  purchase.  As  his  natural  sulgects,  we  are  bound  to 
serve  him  to  the  utmost  extent  of  the  powers  he  hath 
given  us ;  and  this  original  obligation,  instead  of  being 
relaxed  or  impaired,  is  rather  confirmed  and  strength- 
ened by  the  mercy  he  hath  shown  us  as  the  objects  of 
his  grace :  "  We  are  not  our  own,  we  are  bought  with  a 
price;"  and  are  therefore  bound,  by  the  united  ties  of 
gratitude  and  justice,  "  to  glorify  our  Redeemer,  both 
with  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are  his." 

But  what  I  would  chiefly  lead  your  attention  to,  is 


464j  sermon  XXXI. 

the  nature  and  properties  of  those  laws  to  which  our 
sul)jeclion  and  obedience  are  required. 

They  are  '*  all  holy,  just,  and  good,"  resulting  from 
the  very  frame  our  Creator  hath  given  us,  and  from  the 
relation  we  bear  to  himself,  and  to  other  beings  with 
whom  his  Providence  hath  connected  us.  Hence  it  fol- 
lows, that  tliey  are  equally  incapable  of  repeal  or  abate- 
ment. The  laws  of  men  are  local,  temporary,  changea- 
ble, and  always  partake  of  the  imperfection  of  their  au- 
thors. Some  of  them  are  so  obscure,  that  they  need  an- 
other law  to  explain  them ;  and  it  often  happens  that 
the  commentary  is  darker  than  the  text.  The  best  of 
them  take  their  aim  from  some  temporal  evil  that  is  ei- 
ther presently  felt,  or  foreseen  in  its  eause;  and  the  high- 
est end  they  propose,  is  to  restrain  from  injuries  of  the 
grosser  kind  :  they  do  not  even  pretend  to  be  a  rule  of 
moral  conduct;  they  prohibit  and  denounce  vengeance 
against  theft,  robbery,  murder,  and  the  like ;  but  lay  no 
restraint  upon  heart-hatred,  covetousness,  and  envy. 
They  tell  us  in  what  instances  injustice  or  cruelty  be- 
come excessive  and  intolerable ;  but  where  do  we  find 
it  written  in  any  body  of  human  laws,  *'  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself;"  and,  "All  things  whatsoe- 
ver ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even 
so  unto  them  ?"  Whereas  the  laws  of  the  gospel  extend 
to  the  heart  as  well  as  to  the  life,  and  speak  to  all  men 
without  exception,  at  all  times,  and  in  every  situation. 
They  utter  their  voice  with  such  precision  and  perspicu- 
ity, that  none  can  be  at  a  loss  to  discover  their  meaning. 
They  do  not  bend  to  the  humours  of  men,  nor  accommo- 
date themselves  to  those  flexible  maxims  and  customs 
which  by  turns  prevail  in  this  or  the  other  age  and  coun- 
try ;  far  less  do  they  grow  obsolete,  as  human  statutes 
do,  which  by  long  disuse  lose  their  force,  and  become 


SERMON  XXXI.  465 

void :  like  their  great  Master,  what  they  were  yester- 
day they  are  the  same  to-day :  and  in  every  succeeding 
period  their  efficacy  will  continue  till  time  itself  shall  be 
no  more.  And,  therefore,  when  I  repeat  the  words  of  this 
sacred  book,  you  are  to  consider  them  as  spoken  to  your- 
selves in  particular;  and  no  less  binding  upon  you  in 
their  most  simple  and  obvious  meaning,  than  they  for- 
merly were  upon  those  to  whom  they  were  primarily 
addressed. 

One  thing  further  I  would  recommend  to  your  notice, 
viz.  that  the  laws  I  am  speaking  of  are  the  laws  of  Uim 
^'  who  loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us,  an  offering  and 
sacrifice  to  God  of  a  sweet-smelling  savour;"  and  there- 
fore we  may  rest  assured,  that  they  are  kind  as  well  as 
righteous,  and  suited  with  perfect  wisdom  to  be  the 
means  of  promoting  our  truest  interest.  They  are  laws 
which  he  himself  hath  magnified  and  made  honourable; 
not  only  by  answering  all  their  demands,  so  far  as  his 
high  character  would  permit,  or  his  peculiar  circum- 
stances afforded  occasion;  but  likewise  by  expiating  the 
guilt  incurred  by  the  transgression  of  them,  and  bearing 
in  his  own  person  the  punishment  that  was  due  to  the 
offending  creature. 

This  last  consideration  sets  the  obedience  required  of 
us  in  a  most  endearing  point  of  light.  It  is  not  the  ser- 
vile task  of  a  hireling  who  labours  for  his  wages,  but  the 
ingenuous  and  grateful  service  of  a  loving  child.  Christ 
hath  purchased  the  glorious  inheritance;  and  to  all  who 
believe  on  him,  eternal  life  is  the  free  gift  of  God  through 
the  merit  of  his  blood :  so  that  nothing  is  required  of 
them,  but  what  tends  to  purify  and  perfect  their  natures, 
that,  by  a  growing  resemblance  to  the  Father  of  their 
spirits  in  this  state  of  discipline,  they  may  be  rendered 

meet  for  the  full  and  everlasting  enjoyment  of  him,  when 
VOL.  r,  3  L 


466  SERMON  XXXI. 

death,  by  dissolvine;  the  earthly  tabernacle,  shall  puli 
down  all  that  remains  of  the  first  Adam,  and  bring  a 
final  release  from  the  body  of  sin. 

Having  premised  these  general  remarks,  1  shall  now 
proceed  to  remind  you  of  those  particular  precepts  to 
which  our  conformity  is  required  by  the  gospel  of  Christ* 
And  we  are  happily  furnished  with  a  short,  but  most 
comprehensive,  summary  of  them,  by  the  same  Apostle 
in  his  epistle  to  Titus,  (chap.  ii.  11,  12.)  "  The  grace 
of  God  that  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  lo  all 
men ;  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodliness,  and  worldly 
lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in 
this  present  world."' 

To  these  general  heads,  all  the  particulars  may  be 
reduced  that  belong  to  a  conversation  becoming  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ.  And  here  indeed  1  might  stop  short,  and 
only  call  upon  you  to  weigh,  with  candour  and  impar- 
tiality, the  full  meaning  and  import  of  the  expressions 
here  used. 

What  do  you  understand  by  uvgodliness  and  worldly 
lusts P  Do  these  terms  reach  no  farther  than  to  the  gross- 
er acts  of  impiety  and  sensual  indulgence?  And  is  noth- 
ing more  intended  by  denying  them,  than  a  prudish  re- 
serve and  shyness  to  comply  with  their  demands;  or 
such  a  feeble  resistance  as  yields  after  a  short  and  very 
imperfect  struggle  ?  Surely  none  of  you  can  seriously 
entertain  this  opinion.  You  certainly  must  admit,  that 
no  exception  is  made  of  any  species  or  degree  whatso- 
ever, either  of  ungodliness  or  worldly  affections;  and 
that  by  denying  them,  the  Apostle  could  mean  nothing 
less,  than  such  a  refusal  as  proceeds  from  an  inward 
abhorrence  of  them,  even  the  most  vigorous,  determin- 
ed, and   persevering  resistance  of  all  their  solicitation. 

Again,  What  do  you   understand  by  living  soberly* 


SERMON  XXXI.  467 

rightpoiishjf  and  godly  in  this  present  world  P  Doth  so- 
hrieiy  mean  no  more  than  tliat  speeios  of  moderation 
which  is  commonly  opposed  to  surfeiting;  and  drunken- 
ness? Or  admitting  that  it  excUides  every  kind  of  ex- 
cess in  gratifying  our  hodily  appetites,  do  you  imagine 
that  it  leaves  the  mind  at  full  liberty,  so  that  we  may 
lay  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  our  passions,  and  suffer 
them  to  run  wild  without  any  controul  in  perfect  consist- 
ency with  iimt  sobrietij  which  the  Aposlle- recommends? 

Will  you  call  a  man  righteous,  merely  because  he 
cannot  be  charged  with  any  gross  acts  of  fraud,  injus- 
tice, and  oppression,  though  perhaps,  in  the  course  of  a 
lawful  business,  he  may  sometimes  use  a  little  artifice  to 
impose  upon  the  simplicity  or  ignorance  of  his  neigh- 
bours? Or,  supposing  him  to  be  strictly  honest  in  his 
dealings,  doth  the  righteousness  which  the  gospel  en- 
joins lay  him  under  no  obligation  to  feed  the  hungry, 
to  clothe  the  naked,  and  to  succour  the  distressed,  ac- 
cording to  his  ability? 

Is  every  man  to  be  reputed  godly,  who  doth  not  open- 
ly  blaspheme,  nor  reproach  the  laws  and  ordinances  of 
God;  who  gives  regular  attendance  at  church  on  the 
Lord's  day,  though  his  heart  even  then  be  running  af- 
ter his  covetousness;  and  God  receive  no  homage  from 
him  at  all,  either  in  his  family  or  in  the  closet,  through 
the  rest  of  the  week? 

Were  I  to  give  such  a  loose  interpretation  of  the  Apos- 
tle's words,  I  am  confident,  that  the  most  partial  offend- 
er who  hears  me,  would  not  only  condemn  me  in  his 
heart,  but  even  blush,  or  rather  disdain,  to  plead  my 
authority  for  defending  or  palliating  his  own  miscon- 
duct. 

But  the  true  import  of  snhriefy.  righteousness,  and 
godliness^  is  ascertaiued  beyond  any  possibility  of  mis- 


468  SERMON  XXXL 

take,  by  what  T  may  call  the  statute-law  of  the  gospel : 
1  mean,  plain  and  explicit  decrees,  respecting  particular 
instances  of  duty,  under  each  of  these  general  heads. 
Thus,  in  the 

First  place,  With  regard  to  sobriety,  it  is  the  express 
command  of  our  Lord,  "That  we  deny  ourselves;'' 
that  we  "  possess  our  souls  in  patience;" — and  be  con- 
tinually on  our  guard,  "  lest  at  any  time  our  hearts  be 
overcharged  with  surfeiting  and  drunkenness,  and  the 
cares  of  this  life.^^  It  is  required  of  us,  "that  we  cru- 
cify the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts ;''  that  we  lay 
aside  auger,  malice,  envy,  hatred,  and  revenge,"  and 
<^  put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels  of  mercy,  kind- 
ness, humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  and  long-suffer- 
ing." We  are  exhorted,  "  not  to  think  of  ourselves 
more  highly  than  we  ouglit  to  think,  but  to  think  soberly, 
(mark  the  expression)  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to 
every  mau  the  measure  of  faith. '^  "  Let  nothing  be  done 
through  strife  and  vain  glory,"  saith  this  same  Apostle, 
at  the  3d  verse  of  the  following  chapter;  "  but  in  lowli- 
ness of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  himself. 
Look  not  every  mau  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man 
also  on  the  things  of  others;"  and  then  adds,  "  Let  this 
mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in  Clu'ist  Jesus."  These 
few  quotations,  which  must  be  familiar  to  all  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  New  Testament  writings,  may  suf- 
fice to  give  you  some  view  of  the  extent  of  sobriety^  as 
including  every  thing  that  belongs  to  the  right  govern- 
ment and  discipline  both  of  the  outward  and  inward 
man. 

Secondly^  With  respect  to  righteousness,  we  are 
plainly  taught,  that  it  not  only  restrains  from  the  out- 
ward acts  of  injustice,  oppression,  and  cruelty,  but  that 
we  are  thereby  obliged  to  render  unto  z\\  their  dues^ 


SERMON  XXXI.  469 

And  to  do  unto  others,  as  with  good  reason  we  would  ex- 
pect or  desire  that  they,  in  like  circumstances,  should  do 
unto  us.  It  belongs  to  righteousness,  *'  to  comfort  the 
feeble-minded,  and  to  support  the  weak,"  as  being  mem- 
bers one  of  another;  for  thus  it  is  written.  (Gal.  vi.  2.) 
*'  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law 
of  Christ."  We  are  commanded  to  "'  be  of  the  same 
mind  one  towards  another:"  "  to  rejoice  with  them  that 
rejoice,  and  to  weep  with  those  that  weep  ;"  *'  to  do  good 
to  all  as  we  have  opportunity,  especially  to  them  who 
are  of  the  household  of  faith."  *"  As  every  man  hath 
received  the  gift,"  saith  the  apostle  Peter,  "  even  so 
minister  the  same  one  to  another,  as  good  stewards  of 
the  manifold  grace  of  God."  Nay,  the  apostle  John  car- 
ries the  matter  still  higher,  and  speaks  of  it  as  a  debt, 
an  act  of  justice,  in  certain  cases,  to  lay  down  our  lives 
for  the  brethren:  (1  John  iii.  16.)  "Hereby  perceive 
we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
us;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  breth- 
ren." It  is  an  error  to  imagine,  that  God  bestows  upon 
us  the  good  things  of  this  life,  merely  for  our  personal 
accommodation  and  use;  or  that  he  opens  his  hand,  and 
fills  our  basket,  that  the  blessings  of  his  Providence 
may  there  stagnate  and  putrify.  We  are  not  'proprie- 
tors, but  stewards,  as  1  just  now  observed,  who  shall 
one  day  be  called  upon  to  give  an  account  of  our  stew- 
ardship. And  though  the  gripping  miser  cannot  be  ar- 
raigned at  any  human  bar,  yet  at  the  tribunal  of  Jesus 
Christ,  he  who  doth  not  feed  the  hungry,  and  clothe 
the  naked,  shall  be  tried,  and  condemned  to  everlasting 
banishment  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power. 

You  say,  you  wrong  no  man  by  keeping  your  own. 
I  answer,  You  wrong  the  King  of  Kings,  if  you  suffer 


470  SERMON  XXXI. 

a  siiKject  of  his  to  perish,  when  it  is  iu  the  power  of  your 
hand  to  prevent  it:  and  though  the  laws  of  men  permit 
you  to  give  or  to  withhold,  according  to  your  pleasure, 
whatsoever  you  possess  independent  of  others;  yet  if 
you  consult  the  lively  oracles  of  God,  you  shall  ther& 
find,  that  you  are  as  much  bound  to  do  good  to  your 
neighbours,  as  not  to  injure  them ;  to  supply  their  wants, 
as  not  to  rob  them ;  to  stretch  forth  your  hand  to  help 
them,  as  not  to  smite  them  with  the  fist  of  wickedness, 
*'  To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doth  it  not,  to 
him  it  is  sin."  "  If  thou  forbear  to  deliver  them  thai  are 
drawn  unto  death,  and  those  that  are  ready  to  be  slain; 
if  thou  sayest.  Behold  we  knew  it  not : — doth  not  he 
that  pondereth  the  heart  consider  it?  and  he  that  keep- 
eth  thy  soul,  doth  not  he  know  it?  and  shall  not  he  ren- 
der to  every  man  according  to  his  works  ?"  Prov.  xxxiv. 
11,  12.  How  awful  are  these  words  of  the  apostle  John, 
*'  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother 
liave  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion 
from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?"  To 
which  he  subjoins  the  following  exhortation,  whereunto 
we  do  well  that  we  take  heed:  *'  My  little  children, 
let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed 
and  in  truth;  and  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the 
truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  Tijus 
far  is  the  law  of  righteousness  extended  by  the  gosjjel 
of  Christ. 

Thirdlff.  With  regard  to  godliness,  none  who  are  ac- 
quainted  with  the  New  Testament  writings  can  be  at  a 
loss  to  discover,  either  wherein  it  consists,  or  how  it 
ought  to  be  expressed.  Love  to  God  in  the  renewed 
soul,  springing  from  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is 
the  root,  or  vital  prinfi[)le,  of  Godliness:  not  a  common 
subdued  love,  but  a  fervent,  supreme,  and  ruling  love. 


SERMON  XXXI.  *7i 

that  exalts  God  to  the  throne  in  the  heart,  and  desiretU 
nothing  so  much  as  that  he  should  keep  it  in  full  and 
everlasting  possession.  As  creatures,  we  are  bound  to 
love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  lieart,  and  soul,  and 
strength;  xVnd  we  are  further  obliged,  as  guilty  crea.- 
tures,  humbly  to  acknowledge  the  forfeiture  we  have 
incurred,  to  justify  the  law  by  which  we  are  condemned, 
thankfully  to  accept  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only 
Mediator  between  God  and  Man,  and  carefully  to  ob- 
serve and  improve  all  those  ordinances  which  God  hath 
appointed,  as  the  methods  of  testifying  our  subjection 
and  gratitude,  or  as  means  of  receiving  the  communica- 
tions of  his  grace,  for  healing  our  diseased  natures,  and 
rendering  us  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  himself  in  hea- 
ven. These  are  essential  parts  of  the  religion  of  a  sin- 
ner; and  must  therefore  be  considered  as  the  genuine 
and  necessary  expressions  of  godliness,  or  of  a  right 
temper  of  heart  towards  the  Father  of  our  spirits,  the 
God  in  whom  we  live,  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

All  the  duties  we  owe  to  our  fellow-creatures  lean 
upon  this  as  their  proper  foundation ;  and  are  so  de- 
pendant upon  it,  that  neither  our  righteousness,  nor  be- 
neficence, can  avail  us  any  thing,  unless  they  flow  from 
a  living  principle  of  devotion  in  the  heart.  Tbey  may 
profit  others,  and  render  ourselves  amiable  in  the  eyes 
of  men ;  but  if  they  be  not  animated  with  love  to  God, 
and  accompanied  with  suitable  expressions  of  regard 
to  him,  it  is  impossible  they  can  meet  with  the  divine 
acceptance.  For  let  it  be  observed,  that  the  jJractice  of 
these  duties  became  necessary  only  through  man's  apos- 
tacy.  Had  we  kept  our  first  estate,  there  would  have 
been  no  room  for  the  exercise  of  either  justice  or  mercy 
in  any  of  those  instances  which  our  present  distempered 


473  SERMON  XXXI. 

condition  requires.  Men  would  have  lived  together  as 
one  great  family  without  strife  or  emulation,  each  re- 
joicing in  the  happiness  of  his  brother.  There  would 
have  been  no  temptation  to  fraud  and  injustice;  every 
inhabitant  of  the  earth  possessing  all  that  his  heart  could 
wish.  There  would  have  been  no  occasion  for  redress- 
ing wrongs;  for  punishing  the  injurious,  or  protecting 
the  injured ;  for  relieving  the  poor,  or  sympathizing  with 
the  afflicted:  love  would  have  had  no  other  employment 
but  complacency  and  delight  in  seeing  each  one  blessed 
to  the  full  extent  of  his  capacity:  and  therefore  it  cau 
never  be  supposed,  that  the  practice  of  those  duties, 
which  the  bitter  consequences  of  our  guilt  alone  have 
rendered  necessary,  should  be  the  whole,  or  even  the 
most  essential  part,  of  that  obedience  which  is  pleasing 
to  Grod. 

Indeed,  were  we  to  look  upon  the  present  state  of  the 
world  as  the  original  constitution,  we  might  be  apt  to 
conclude,  that  our  chief  business  upon  earth  consisted 
in  the  exercise  of  those  social  virtues  which  knit  men 
together,  and  enable  them  to  provide  most  effectually 
for  their  common  defence  against  those  numberless  evils 
to  which  they  are  continually  exposed.  But  if  we  view 
the  present  state  as  the  ruins  of  one  far  more  perfect  and 
excellent,  which  we  forfeited  by  our  unprovoked  and 
criminal  revolt  from  the  great  Author  of  our  existence, 
we  must  be  sensible,  that  the  bare  performance  of  those 
social  duties  we  owe  to  one  another,  can  be  of  little  ac- 
count in  the  sight  of  God,  so  long  as  we  persist  in  our 
rebellion  against  himself,  and  neglect  those  higher  du- 
ties which  arise  from  our  first  and  most  lasting  relation. 

Godliness,  my  brethren,  is  the  one  thing  needful: 
did  that  prevail  in  its  power,  sobriety  and  righteous- 
ness would  follow  of  course,  and  maintain  their  ground 


SERMON  XXXI.  473 

against  every  assault,  having  so  firm  and  permanent  a 
basis  to  lean  upon :  but  till  godliness  be  laid  as  the  foun- 
dation, any  attempt  to  introduce  or  establish  either  of 
the  other  two  must  be  vain  and  fruitless. 

Loud  and  general  hath  been  the  cry  for  some  time 
past,  after  public  spirit,  disinterested  patriotism,  and 
integrity,  which  can  neither  be  bribed  nor  overawed, 
among  those  who  move  in  the  upper  ranks  of  life.  These 
qualities,  it  must  be  confessed,  accompanied  with  a  large 
proportion  of  wisdom,  are  truly  desirable,  and  might  be 
eminently  useful;  and  when  it  shall  please  God  to  be- 
stow them,  they  will  no  doubt  appear  very  beautiful  in 
their  season;  but  if  all  who  join  in  the  cry,  would  en- 
deavour, in  the  first  place,  to  get  their  own  hearts  pos- 
sessed with  real  godliness,  and  then  pray  for  the  same 
blessing  to  others,  with  as  much  fervency  as  they  utter 
their  complaints,  1  can  assure  them  they  would  be  tak- 
ing by  far  the  nearest  road  to  success.  "  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,"  and  love  carries  it  to 
perfection;  but  when  these  find  no  place  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  what  can  be  looked  for  in  such  a  world  as  ours,  but 
the  rankest  growth  of  folly  and  wickedness,  both  in  pub- 
lic and  private  life? 

From  this  general  review  of  the  laws  of  Christ,  you 
must  be  sensible,  that  the  same  temper  and  conduct 
which  we  formerly  supposed  to  result  from  a  cordial 
belief  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  now  appear  to 
be  expressly  enjoined  by  plain  and  positive  statutes :  so 
that,  upon  the  whole,  we  are  furnished  with  a  decisive 
test  of  genuine  Christianity,  and  may  clearly  see,  by 
the  light  of  God's  word,  what  the  conversation  is  that 
becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  gives   me  pain  to  repeat  the  observation  I  have 

more  than  once  hinted  at,  (and  yet  the  evidence  of  its 
VOL.  I.  3  m 


474  SERMON  XXXI. 

truth  is  too  glaring  to  be  concealed)  namely,  that  among 
the  multitudes  who  l)ear  the  title  of  Christians,  the  con- 
versation of  by  much  the  greater  |)art  is  so  far  from  ex- 
pressing the  true  spirit  and  genius  of  our  holy  religion, 
"with  regard  either  to  the  doctrines  it  reveals,  or  the  du- 
ties it  requires,  that  the  character  of  the  Cretians  may 
too  justly  be  applied  to  many  of  them,  (Tit.  i.  16.) 
"  They  profess  that  they  know  God  ;  but  in  works  they 
deny  him,  being  abominal)le,  and  disobedient,  and  unto 
every  good  work  reprobate."  To  such  inconsistent  usur- 
pers of  the  Christian  name,  the  obvious  remarks  with 
which  I  introduced  my  first  discourse  upon  this  subject 
administer  a  severe,  but  just  reproof:  and  therefore  I 
might  here  dismiss  them  without  further  admonition^ 
were  it  not  that  numbers  are  to  be  found  in  that  unhap- 
py class  of  men,  w  ho,  not  contented  with  publishing 
their  own  shame,  by  counteracting  the  principles  of  that 
religion  they  profess,  are  bold  enough  to  scoff  at  true 
godliness  in  others,  and  do  every  thing  in  their  power 
to  enfeeble  the  hands  of  real  Christians,  while  they  are 
humbly  endeavouring,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  have 
their  conversation  as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
I  know  how  difficult  it  is  to  get  access  to  those  who  are 
proudly  seated  in  the  scorner's  chair;  nevertheless  I 
shall  take  the  liberty  to  beg  their  attention  to  a  few  plain 
questions,  praying  that  God  may  carry  them  home  to 
their  hearts  with  power,  and  so  bless  them  for  their  con- 
viction, "  that  they  may  yet  recover  themselves  out  of 
the  snare  of  the  devil,  who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at 
his  will." 

Do  you  really  think  it  possible  that  any  man  can  love 
God  too  well,  or  serve  him  with  too  much  zeal  and  dili- 
gence? Do  you  think,  that  there  is  a  saint  in  heaven 
wiio  repents  of  his  zeal  and  diligence  while  on  earth? 


SERMON  XXXI.  473 

or  a  sinner  in  hell,  that  justifies  his  scoffing  at  serious 
relii;ion?  or  jIo  you  suppose,  that  you  yourselves  shall 
approve  of  such  conduct  when  you  come  to  die,  and 
boldly  defend  it  at  the  tribunal  of  Christ?  What  can  be  , 
more  unfair,  than  to  scoff  at  men  for  being,  in  truth,  the 
very  thin^  that  you  pretend  to  be?  You  call  yourselves 
Christians,  and  at  the  same  time  deride  those  who  are 
Christians  indee<l :  It  is  your  professed  belief,  that 
Christ  shall  jud2;e  the  world;  and  wiien  others  are  giv- 
ing; all  diligence  that  they  may  be  found  of  him  in  peace, 
they  are  mocked  and  reviled,  and  hated  by  you  upon 
that  account;  nay,  which  is  still  more  injurious,  they 
are  branded  with  the  odious  name  o^  hypocrites,  by  those 
very  persons  who  themselves  are  the  most  impudent  hy- 
pocrites upon  earth.  For  tell  me,  thou  who  retainest  the 
name  of  Christian,  what  grosser  hypocrisy  can  be  ima- 
gined, than  to  hate  the  serious  practice  of  thy  own  pro- 
fession, and  to  reproach  others  for  living  by  the  influ- 
ence of  those  very  principles  which  thine  own  false 
tongue  professeth  to  believe? 

These  are  all  the  questions  I  shall  put  to  you  at  pre- 
sent; and  the  main  thing  intended  hy  them,  is  to  give 
Voii  such  a  view  of  the  folly  and  inconsistency  of  your 
character,  that  if  modesty  be  not  altogether  banished,  1 
may  at  least  bring  you  the  length  of  being  ashamed  of 
your  conduct.  But  though  modesty  should  be  gone,  yet 
as  fear  and  self-love  are  still  left  behind,  I  shall  endea- 
vour, in  a  few  words,  to  give  you  a  just  representation 
of  the  peculiar  malignity  of  such  a  course,  and  of  the 
fatal  consequences  with  which  an  obstinate  continuance 
in  it  must  necessarily  be  attended. 

Know,  then,  that  to  scoflf  at  the  sanctifying  work  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  is  a  sin  of  so  deep  a  tincture,  that  it 
approacheth  near  to  the  confines  of  "  the  great  traus- 


476  SERMON  XXXI. 

gression.*'  This  much  I  may  with  coniidence  aflBrm, 
that  so  long  as  you  persist  in  it,  there  is  no  room  for 
any  rational  hope  that  you  shall  be  saved.  With  God 
indeed  all  things  are  possible ;  he  is  able  of  such  stones 
to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham;  and  therefore  some 
hope  is  left  that  you  may  be  converted ;  but  that  you 
should  be  saved  in  your  present  course,  is  just  as  im- 
possible as  it  is  for  God  to  lie,  as  impossible  as  for  the 
devils  to  be  saved,  it  is  an  astonishing  proof  of  the  pow- 
er and  cunning  of  the  grand  deceiver,  that  he  should  be 
able  to  hide  this  alarming  truth  from  your  own  eyes, 
Tlie  scorner  bears  upon  his  forehead  one  of  the  most 
distinguishing  marks  of  a  son  of  perdition.  Of  such 
transgressors  it  may  be  said  with  an  awful  emphasis, 
^^  their  spot  is  not  the  spot  of  children."  Other  sinners 
may  find  some  cloak  to  throw  over  their  guilt;  the  re- 
corded failings  of  some  eminent  saints  may  be  so  far 
perverted  as  to  cherish  the  presumption  and  soothe  the 
consciences  of  various  kinds  of  sinners;  but  where  do 
we  read  of  any  among  the  saints  who  scoffed  at  holi- 
ness, or  spake  reproachfully  of  the  ways  of  God  ?  Sure- 
ly no  man  of  common  understanding  can  suppose,  that 
a  scorner  of  a  holy  life  is  himself  possessed  of  that  ho- 
liness which  he  derides.  I  would  not  for  a  world,  said 
one,  be  in  the  case  of  that  wretch  who  speaketh  well  of 
holiness  in  others,  while  he  himself  lives  in  sensuality 
and  wickedness ;  but  I  would  much  less,  for  a  thousand 
worlds,  be  in  the  case  of  him  that  is  neither  godly,  nor 
can  speak  well  of  godliness ;  who  is  not  only  void  of  the 
image  of  God,  but  hates,  and  reviles,  and  persecutes  it 
in  others.  Consider,  0  sinners!  while  yet  there  is  hope, 
how  terrible  your  eternal  state  must  be.  if  death  over- 
take you  in  this  malignant  course.  The  Lord  Jesus  is 
now  calling  upon  you  in  mercy,  and  saying  unto  you, 


SERMON  XXXI.  4^ 

as  once  he  said  to  Saul,  "  Why  perseculest  thou  me?" 
But  if  you  do  not  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  turn  from 
your  evil  way,  ere  long  "he  will  speak  to  you  in  wrath, 
and  vex  you  in  his  sore  displeasure :"  for  "  behold,  the 
Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints  to  execute 
judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly 
among  them,  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds  which  they  have 
ungodly  committed,  and  of  all  their  hard  speeches  which 
ungodly  sinners  have  spoken  against  him."  There  is  an 
alarming  passage,  (Psal.  vii.  11,  13,  13.)  which  I  would 
recommend  to  your  serious  perusal:  "  God  judgeth  the 
righteous,  and  God  is  angr>  with  the  wicked  every  day. 
If  he  turn  not,  he  will  whet  his  sword;  he  hath  bent  his 
bow,  and  made  it  ready.  He  hath  also  prepared  for 
him  the  instruments  of  <leath ;  he  ordaineth  his  arrows 
against  the  persecutors.^^  God  himself  hath  undertaken 
the  defence  of  tlie  just:  Christ  will  finally  be  glorified 
in  his  saints,  when  all  their  enemies  shall  be  cast  out  of 
sight,  overwhelmed  with  shame,  and  doomed  to  ever- 
lasting contempt  and  misery. 

Thus  far  have  I  spoken  for  the  conviction  and  reproof 
of  those  who  have  the  boldness  to  scoff  at  vital  religion 
and  practical  godliness;  and  shall  now  conclude  the 
subject  with  a  few  words  of  advice  and  encouragement 
to  the  true  servants  of  Christ,  who  feel  the  influences  of 
his  gospel,  and  are  determined,  through  grace,  to  live 
unto  Him  who  died  for  them. 

Let  me  then  call  upon  you  to  lay  your  account  w'ith 
opposition  in  your  way  heavenward.  Marvel  not,  my 
brethren,  if  the  world  hate  you;  but  rather  rejoice,  in 
as  much  as  ye  are  partakers  of  the  sufferings  of  your 
Lord,  that  when  his  glory  shall  be  revealed,  ye  may  be 
glad  also  with  exceeding  joy.  You  have  good  company, 
you  have  powerful  assistance,  and  glorious  hopes :  "  If 


478  SERMON  XXXI. 

ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye; 
for  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of  glory  resteth  upon  you." 
**  Stand  fast/'  therefore,  as  the  Apostle  exiioris  you  in 
the  words  following  my  text,  "  in  one  spirit,  with  one 
mind,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and 
in  nothing  terrified  by  your  adversaries;  which  is  to 
them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  to  you  of  salva- 
tion, and  that  of  God.  For  unto  you  it  is  given,  in  the 
behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to 
suffer  for  his  sake.''  Beware  of  courting  the  favour  of 
the  wicked,  by  conforming  in  any  degree  to  their  corrupt 
maxims  and  practices;  but  keep  up  the  majesty  of  true 
godliness,  and  study  so  to  live,  that  they  may  find  no  oc- 
casion against  you,  except  it  be  concerning  the  law  of 
your  God.  "  Be  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of 
God,  without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  per- 
verse nation,  among  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world,  holding  forth  the  word  of  life."  "  Finally,  bre- 
thren, whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are 
honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever  things 
are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever 
things  are  of  good  report :  If  there  be  any  virtue,  and  if 
there  be  any  praise,  think  on  these  things ;"  "  and  the 
God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you."  Amen. 


479 

Rom.  xiv.  8. 

Whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  whether 
we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lokd  :  Whether  we  live  there^ 
fore  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's. 


J  HE  following  verse  will  inform  you  who  that  the 
Lord  is  of  whom  the.  Apostle  speaks  in  this  passage, 
"  To  this  end,"  saitii  lie,  *'  Cbrist  both  died  and  rose, 
and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and 
living."  He  is  the  king  whom  God  hath  set  upon  his 
holy  hill  of  Zion,  and  appointed  to  be  the  head  overall 
things  to  th  •  church;  for  as  Paul  wrote  to  the  Philippi- 
ans,  in  regard  of  his  humbling  himself,  and  becoming 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  ;  *'  there- 
fore God  also  liath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him 
a  name,  which  is  above  every  name,  that  at  the  name  of 
Jesus  every  knee  shouhl  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and 
things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ;  and  that 
every  tongue  should  confess,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord^ 
to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  This  doctrine  we  ail 
profess  to  believe ;  nay,  the  designation  we  bear  imports 
an  acknowledgment  that  Christ  is  our  Master.  But  some- 
thing more  than  the  appellation  of  Christians  is  neces- 
sary to  prove  that  we  are  in  truth  his  servants.  The 
proper,  the  only  decisive  test,  is  that  which  lies  before 
us  in  the  words  of  my  text;  where  one  who  knew  well 
what  Christianity  was,  thus  speaks  in  the  name  of  all 
sincere  believers :    Whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the 


480  SERMON  XXXII. 

Lord;  and  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord;  whe- 
ther  we  live  therefore  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's. 

It  is  the  comprehensive  description  of  the  Christian's 
life  expressed  in  these  few,  but  emphatical  words.  We 
live  unto  the  Lord,  which  1  have  chosen  for  the  subject 
of  the  following  discourse.  And  my  design  is, 

I.  To  inquire  into  the  import  q{ living  unto  the  Lord; 
and, 

II.  To  apply  the  character  as  a  measure,  or  stand- 
ard, for  helping  us  to  judge  of  our  spiritual  condition. 

I.  Living  unto  the  Lord  may  be  considered  as  in- 
cluding the  following  particulars : 

ist.  That  we  make  his  will  the  rule,  the  only  rule, 
of  our  conduct. 

Our  Lord  hath  entrusted  us  with  various  talents,  and 
requires  that  we  should  improve  them  to  the  best  advan- 
tage, for  the  important  purposes  for  which  they  were 
bestowed.  We  are  his  servants,  and  have  a  task  assign- 
ed us,  for  which  we  must  be  accountable  to  him  at  last. 
It  is  not  left  to  our  own  choice  what  pieces  of  service  we 
shall  perform ;  but  we  must  at  all  times  wait  upon  him 
for  direction ;  saying,  as  Paul  did  when  struck  to  the 
ground,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?""  Nei- 
ther is  it  enough  that  we  do  the  things  he  requires,  un- 
less we  do  them  because  he  requires  them.  The  laws  of 
our  Lord  are  so  wisely  calculated  to  promote  the  private 
interests  of  individuals,  and  the  public  welfare  of  human 
society,  that  they  who  are  most  disaflfected  to  his  go- 
vernment, will  choose,  for  their  own  sake,  to  comply  with 
many  of  his  sacred  injunctions;  but  they,  and  they  only, 
live  unto  the  Lord,  who  realize  his  authority,  and  do 
every  thing  he  enjoins,  as  an  act  of  willing  and  cheer- 
ful obedience,  as  a  part  of  that  homage  they  owe  to  their 
Master. 


SERMON  XXXII.  481 

^dly.  To  live  unto  the  Lord,  is  to  make  bis  approba- 
tion  our  s;overning  aim,  and  to  study  to  please  bim  ia 
all  that  we  do. 

I  need  not  tell  you  that  we  early  contract  a  love  for 
many  things  which  are  hurtful  to  our  souls,  and  stand 
condemned  by  the  laws  of  our  sovereign.  This  renders 
some  parts  of  duty  so  painful  to  the  flesh,  that  they  are 
compared  in  Scripture  to  the  "  cutting  off  a  right  hand, 
and  the  plucking  out  a  right  eye;"  operations  which  no 
man  would  submit  to,  far  less  perform  them  himself, 
unless  the  preservation  of  the  rest  of  bis  body  rendered 
them  absolutely  necessary.  Other  parts  of  duty  are  at- 
tended with  inconveniences  of  a  different  kind :  they 
may  draw  upon  us  the  scorn,  the  hatred,  and  persecu- 
tion of  a  partial,  blind,  malignant  world ;  so  that  if  we 
listen  either  to  the  corrupt  part  of  our  own  nature,  or  to 
the  voice  of  the  multitude,  we  shall  unavoidably  be  per- 
suaded to  leave  them  undone,  or  rather  to  do  the  contra- 
ry. Nothing  else  than  a  prevailing  habitual  desire  to 
please  the  Lord  can  reconcile  us  to  the  practice  of  these 
self-denying  duties.  But  if  this  principle  be  deeply  root- 
ed in  our  hearts,  the  roughest  paths  of  obedience  will 
soon  become  smooth  ;  with  resolution,  nay,  with  cheer- 
fulness, we  shall  address  ourselves  to  our  work;  declin- 
ing no  service,  how  painful  or  difficult  soever,  that  we 
know  will  be  crowned  with  the  approbation  of  our 
Judge.  Thus  did  the  primitive  Christians  live  unto  the 
Lord.  It  appeared  a  small  matter  to  them  to  be  judged  of 
man's  judgment;  this  was  their  labour,  that,  whether 
present  or  absent,  they  might  be  accepted  of  their  Mas- 
ter. They  so  spake,  and  so  acted,  not  as  pleasing  men, 
but  God,  who  trieth  the  hearts  of  his  creatures,  and  will 
render  unto  every  one  according  to  his  works. 

VOL.  I.  -3  N 


.IS2  SERMON  XXXII. 

Sdhj.  To  live  unto  the  Lord,  is  to  make  his  glory  our 
end  in  every  thing  we  do. 

Paul  expressed  the  genuine  spirit  of  Christianity, 
when,  with  a  dignity  becoming  the  character  of  an  apos- 
tle, he  thus  wrote  to  the  Philippians :  *'  I  would  ye 
should  understand,  brethren,  that  the  things  which  iiap- 
pened  unto  me,  have  fallen  out  rather  unto  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel;  so  that  niy  bonds  in  Christ  are  mani- 
fest in  all  the  palace,  and  in  all  other  places;  and  many 
of  the  brethren  in  the  Lord,  waxing  confident  by  my 
bonds,  are  much  more  bold  to  speaii  the  word  without 
fear.  Some  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of  envy  and 
strife;  and  some  also  of  good  will.  The  one  preach 
Christ  of  contention,  not  sincerely,  supposing  to  add  af- 
fliction to  my  bonds  ;  but  the  other  of  love,  knowing  that 
I  am  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel.  What  then?  not- 
withstanding every  way,  whether  in  pretence,  or  in  truth, 
Christ  is  preached  ;  and  1  therein  do  rejoice,  yea,  and 
will  rejoice.  For  I  know  that  this  shall  turn  to  my  sal- 
vation, through  your  prayer,  and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  my  earnest  expectation, 
and  my  hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed,  but 
that  with  all  boldness,  as  always,  so  now  also,  Christ 
shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or 
by  death.  For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain;'' 
Phil.  i.  13, — 21.  If  we  live  unto  the  Lord,  we  shall  not 
seek  great  things  for  ourselves.  This  will  be  our  only 
concern,  that  the  Lord  may  be  magnified  in  us,  and  by 
us,  either  by  our  doing  or  suflering;  by  our  life  or  by 
our  death.  We  shall  be  contented  to  be  employed  in 
any  station  his  wisdom  shall  choose  for  us,  and  study 
to  honour  him  in  that  station  by  the  diligent  perform- 
ance of  the  duties  that  l)elong  to  it.  Though  we  occupy 
the  meanest  office  in  his  family,  we  shall  with  pleasure 


SERMON  XXXn.  483 

apply  ourselves  to  the  work  of  that  office,  without  re- 
pining at  those  who  are  dignified  with  a  higher  place; 
nay,  instead  of  looking  at  them  with  envy,  we  shall  re- 
joice to  behold  their  diligence  and  success.  If  our  Lord 
be  well  served,  if  much  work  be  done,  that  will  satisfy 
us,  by  whatsoever  hands  the  work  is  carried  on.  We 
shall  execute  what  falls  to  our  own  share  in  the  best 
manner  we  can ;  and  pray  for  larger  measures  of  grace 
to  those  who  have  the  honour  to  be  employed  in  higher 
pieces  of  service. 

4f/z///.  To  live  unto  the  Lord,  is  to  be  wholly  resign- 
ed to  his  disposal,  blessing  him  at  all  times,  in  adversi- 
ty as  well  as  in  prosporitj';  making  him  as  welcome  to 
take  from  us  as  to  give  unto  us. 

How  well  our  Apostle  had  learned  this  important  les- 
son, appears  from  his  own  words,  (Phil.  iv.  13.)  ''  I 
know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  1  know  how  to  a- 
bound;  every  where,  and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed, 
both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and 
to  suffer  need."  It  is  rebellion  against  our  Lord  to  re- 
pine at  any  of  his  dispensations,  how  afflicting  soever. 
What  have  we  that  we  did  not  receive  from  him?  and 
is  it  not  lawful  for  him  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own? 
David,  after  contemplating  the  heavens,  the  work  of 
God's  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  he  had  or- 
dained, breaks  forth  into  this  exclamation,  (Psal.  viii.  4.) 
"What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him?  and  the 
son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him?  For  thou  hast  made 
bim  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  and  hast  crowned 
him  with  glory  and  honour."  He  there  celebrates  the 
goodness  of  God,  in  assigning  to  man,  at  his  first  crea- 
tion, so  high  a  rank  among  the  variety  and  immensity 
of  his  works.  The  form  of  expression  is  a  little  vari(Ml, 
(Psal.  cxliv.  3.)  where,  speaking  of  God's  condcscen- 


484)  SERMON  XXXII. 

sion  to  man  in  his  fallen  and  degraded  state,  he  saith, 
<*  Lord,  what  is  man,  that  thou  takest  knowledge  of 
hira?  or  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  makest  account  of 
him?  Man  is  like  to  vanity;  his  days  are  as  a  shadow 
that  passeth  away."  This  reflection  arose  from  the  ex- 
perience he  had  of  God's  unmerited  kindness  to  himself, 
"who  ha<l  taught  his  hands  to  war  and  his  fingers  to 
fight;"  who  had  raised  him  from  the  sheepfold  to  the 
throne  of  Israel,  and  had  "  subdued  his  people  under 
him."  But  1  am  persuachnl  you  will  agree  with  me,  that 
what  Job  saith  (Job  vii.  ly,  18.)  is  more  striking  and 
emphatical  than  eitiier  of  the  former  two;  when,  in  the 
deepest  adversity,  he  expressed  himself  thus  :  "  What 
is  man  that  thou  shouldst  magnify  him  ?  and  that  thou 
shouldst  set  thine  heart  upon  him?  and  that  thou  shouldst 
visit  him  every  morning,  and  try  him  every  moment?" 
David,  speaking  of  the  Divine  benejicence,  calls  it  a  be- 
ing **  mindful"  of  man,  "  taking  knowledge"  of  man, 
and  "  making  account"  of  him;  but  when  Job  speaks  of 
correction  and  chastisement,  he  raiseth  his  style,  and 
calls  it  God's  "  magnifying  man,"  and  "  setting  his 
heart"  upon  him.  He  wonders  that  God  should  bestow 
such  attention  upon  a  sinful  creature  ;  that  he  should 
stoop  so  low  as  to  become  his  physician ;  nay,  that  he 
should  visit  him  every  morning,  to  administer  medicine 
for  the  recovery  of  his  spiritual  iiealth,  afflicting  his  body 
for  tlie  good  of  his  soul.  In  this  light  will  the  true  dis- 
ciple of  Jesus  Christ  view  the  most  distressful  events  of 
Divine  Providence.  Convinced  that  his  Lord  knows 
what  is  good  for  him  better  than  he  doth,  he  will  kiss  the 
rod,  and  make  every  dispensation  welcome;  and  though 
nature  may  shrink  a  little,  and  even  wish  that  the  bitter 
cup  might  pass  from  him,  ynt  grace  will  teach  him  to 
consent,  and  dispose  him  to  say,  "  Nevertheless,  not  my 
will,  but  thine  be  done."  Once  more, 


SERMON  XXXII.  485 

Stilly.  To  live  unto  the  Lord^  is  to  be  so  thorous;!ily 
devoted  to  him,  as  to  account  that  we  live  not  at  all,  but 
in  so  far  as  we  serve  him,  and  show  forth  his  praise. 

This,  1  apprehend,  expresseth  the  true  spirit  of  the 
Apostle's  words.  He  reckoned  nothing  worthy  to  be 
called  living  that  was  not  sul)servient  to  the  j2;reat  pur- 
pose for  which  life  was  bestowed.  He  measured  his 
time,  not  by  days,  or  months,  or  years;  but  by  a  suc- 
cession of  services  to  his  dear  Master,  by  those  acts  of 
obedience  he  was  enabled  to  perform.  What  portions  of 
time  were  otherwise  employed,  he  did  not  esteem  to  be 
living  at  all;  these  he  reckoned  among  the  vacancies  of 
life,  like  the  hours  that  pass  away  in  sleep,  which  is  the 
image  of  death.  The  true  Cijristian  prefers  one  day  in 
the  courts  of  the  Lord  to  a  thousand  any  where  else, 
and  would  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  his 
God,  than  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness. 

Thus  have  1  told  you  what  is  included  in  living  unto 
the  Lord.  1  shall  now  proceed, 

II.  In  the  second  place.  To  apply  this  description  of 
genuine  Christianity  as  a  measure  or  standard  for  help- 
ing us  to  judge  of  our  spiritual  condition.  For  this  end, 
I  must  beg  your  attention,  and  the  answer  of  a  true  con- 
science, to  the  following  questions. 

ist.  Of  what  weight  is  the  authority  of  God  ia  your 
hearts  ? 

I  am  not  inquiring,  whether  the  things  you  do  are 
commanded  by  God?  I  formerly  observed,  that  there 
may  be  a  deception  here.  God  enjoins  many  things  as 
duty,  to  which  human  nature,  even  in  its  present  state, 
feeleth  no  aversion  ;  for  our  apostacy  was  chiefly  from 
God  himself;  and  though  some  fierce  and  unsocial  pas- 
sions have  sprung  from  this  biUer  root,  yet,  in  the  main, 
ive  are  not  naturally  disaffected  to  our  fellow-men,  but 


486  SERMON  XXXII. 

rather  disposed  to  wish  them  well,  and  even  to  do  them 
good,  provided  our  personal  interest  be  not  hurt  hy  it. 
And  therefore  no  man  can  be  said  with  certainty  to  Uvq 
unto  the  Lord,  merely  because  he  performs  the  common 
oflBces  of  justice,  humanity  and  beneficence,  towards 
others  with  whom  he  is  connected ;  for  these  things  have 
a  comeliness  in  them  that  is  obvious  to  the  dimest  eye; 
they  are  of  good  report  among  all  men ;  and,  in  most 
cases,  a  man  cannot  serve  himself  more  efiectually  than 
by  practising  them.  But  if  he  practise  them  merely,  or 
even  principally,  to  promote  his  own  interest,  he  must 
not  pretend  that  he  liveth  unto  the  Lord  ;  he  only  serves 
himself,  and  must  therefore  be  left  to  reward  himself  as 
he  can.  If  he  do  not  mean  to  serve  the  Lord,  if  he  do 
not  act  from  love  and  loyalty  to  his  Sovereign,  he  can 
have  no  ground  to  expect  any  reward  at  his  hand. 

2dhj.  Whom  do  you  seek  to  please,  and  whose  ap- 
probation do  you  principally  covet? 

If  you  only,  or  even  chiefly,  court  the  applause  of 
men,  it  is  plain  that  you  do  not  live  unto  the  Lord. 
"  We  labour,''  saith  the  apostle  Paul,  in  name  of  all 
true  believers,  "  that  whether  present  or  absent  we  may- 
be accepted  of  Christ;"  2  Cor.  v.  9.  The  Pharisees  gave 
much  alms;  they  were  frequent,  and  loud,  and  long  in 
their  prayers:  but  they  did  all  "to  be  seen  of  men;" 
and  therefore  our  Lord  styled  them  hyiiocrites,  and  de- 
nounced many  awful  woes  against  them.  I  am  sensible 
that  this  species  of  hypocrisy  is  not  the  disease  of  the 
present  age :  there  are  few  that  make  much  noise  about 
their  prayers  or  their  alms;  and  there  are  still  fewer,  I 
suppose,  that  can  justly  be  charged  with  excess  in  ei- 
ther; so  that  a  caution  against  being  righteous  overmuch 
seems  quite  supertiaous.  But  can  you  discover  nothing 
in  yourselves  that  is  akin  to  this  hypocrisy?  Are  you  as 


SERMON  XXXII.  487 

ready  to  perform  the  most  self-denying  duties  as  those 
that  are  accompanied  with  immediate  pleasure  or  ad- 
vantage? Are  you  the  same  in  secret  that  you  appear, 
or  wish  to  appear,  in  public?  Or  rather,  do  you  not  suit 
your  behaviour  to  the  humour  of  the  times?  Can  you 
charge  yourselves  with  no  instances  of  a  timid  compli- 
ance with  the  prevailing  maxims  and  manners  of  the 
world?  Hath  not  fashion  some  weight  with  you,  to 
draw  you  into  many  things  which  you  do  not  inwardly 
approve  ?  and  are  you  not  often  restrained  from  doing 
what  conscience  tells  you  ought  to  be  done,  by  the  fear 
of  incurring  the  ridicule  and  censure  of  others,  even  of 
those  whom,  in  your  hearts,  you  do  not,  and  cannot,  es- 
teem? If  so,  then  these  very  hearts  must  testify  against 
you,  that  hitherto  you  have  not  been  living  unto  the 
Lord, 

Sdly.  What  regard  do  you  feel  for  the  honour  of  your 
Lord? 

Are  you  willing  to  become  any  thing,  to  do  any  thing, 
and  to  suffer  any  thing  for  his  sake?  Are  you  contented 
to  serve  him  in  the  meanest  station  of  his  family?  or  if 
you  aspire  to  an  higiier  place,  is  it  solely  to  enlarge  your 
sphere  of  usefulness,  that  you  may  labour  more  abun- 
dantly, and  serve  him  to  greater  advantage,  than  your 
present  inferior  situation  will  permit?  When  we  see 
you  climbing  upwards  as  fast  as  you  can,  may  we  re- 
ally suppose  that  this  is  your  aim?  That  it  ought  to  be 
your  aim,  is  obvious;  for  he  who  came  not  to  be  minis- 
tered unto,  but  to  minister,  keeps  no  idle  attendants 
about  his  person  for  mere  parade  and  show.  Earthly 
princes,  who  are  made  of  the  same  materials  with  other 
men,  need  many  external  appendages  to  eke  them  out, 
as  it  were,  and  to  give  them  bulk  and  importance  in  the 
eye  of  the  world;  but  he  wlio  made  the  heavens  and 


488  SERMON  XXXII. 

earth,  infinitely  disdains  to  borrow  any  significancy  from 
the  workmanship  of  ins  own  hands.  The  angels  that 
excel  in  strengtli  do  his  commandments,  hearkening  un- 
to the  voice  of  his  word :  the  highest  seraph  hath  his 
task:  ^' They  are  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
minister  for  them  who  shall  he  heirs  of  salvation."  And 
can  any  of  the  sons  of  men  be  so  be-fooled  by  temporal 
prosjjerity,  as  to  imagine  that  any  little  elevation  they 
can  attain  on  this  footstool,  relaxes  their  obligation  to 
serve  (>od  so  strictly  as  meaner  men  do?  They  may 
imagine  it;  and  when  we  survey  the  upper  ranks  of  life, 
"we  lind  too  just  cause  to  suspect,  that  this  absurd  and 
impious  conceit  is  entertained  by  many;  but  the  faithful 
and  true  Witness  hath  assured  us,  "  that  unto  whomso- 
ever miirh  is  given,  of  them  much  will  be  required;" 
and  that  the  greater  talent,  if  not  faithfully  improved, 
shall  only  heighten  the  condemnation  of  its  possessor, 
and  entitle  him  to  more  and  heavier  stripes.  Once  more, 
let  me  ask, 

^thhj.  What  is  it  that  gives  the  highest  value  to  every 
thing  in  your  esteem? 

"  0)ie  thins;  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,"  said  David, 
"and  that  will  1  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beaiity  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple." — "I 
count  all  things  but  loss,"  said  the  holy  apostle  Paul, 
*'  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord;  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all 
things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win 
Ciirist."  If  you  are  sincerely  devoted  to  the  Lord  Re- 
deemerv  you  will  value  other  things  in  exact  proportion 
to  their  connexion  with  him,  and  the  relation  they  bear 
to  him.  You  will  prefer  the  Bible  to  all  other  books, 
because  it  is  the  word,  the  testament  of  your  Lord.  Yon 


SERMON  XXXII.  489 

will  rejoice  at  every  return  of  the  Sabbath,  because  it  is 
the  Lord^s  day.  You  will  delight  in  his  saints,  and  mc- 
count  them  the  ^^  excellfut  ones  in  the  earth,"  because 
they  are  dear  to  your  Lord,  and  bear  his  image.  Prayer 
will  be  your  sweetest  entertainment,  because  it  is  the 
means  of  correspondence  and  intercourse  with  your  Lord: 
And  doing  good  to  the  bodies,  and  more  especially  to 
the  souls  of  men,  will  be  relished  by  you  as  the  most 
pleasant  and  honourable  employment,  because  it  ren- 
ders you  most  like  unto  your  Lord,  ''who  went  about 
doing  good,"  leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should 
follow  his  steps.  And  thus  will  you  estimate  all  other 
things. 

These,  and  such  like  questions,  I  would  have  you  to 
put  to  your  own  hearts,  as  in  the  presence  of  that  God 
who  is  already  perfectly  acquainted  with  you  ;  who  will 
shortly  cause  you* to  know  yourselves,  and  will  make  all 
others  to  know  you  too,  in  that  day  when  every  disguise 
shall  be  torn  off,  and  your  real  character  shall  be  pub- 
lished in  the  presence  of  an  assembled  world. 

I  SHALL  conclude  this  discourse  with  reminding  you 
of  those  peculiar  obligations  that  lie  upon  all  who  name 
the  name  of  Christ,  to  live  unto  the  Lord  in  the  manner 
I  have  endeavoured  to  describe. 

ist.  Unless  we  Hue  unto  the  Lord,  we  shall  counter- 
act the  very  design  of  that  marvellous  love  he  hath  ma- 
nifested towards  us,  in  giving  himself  for  us  an  offering 
and  sacrifice  to  God  for  a  sweet-smelling  savour.  "  He 
bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  that  we  being 
dead  to  sin,  should  live  unto  righteousness."  "  He  gave 
himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniqui- 
ty, and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of 
good  works." — "  He  died  for  all,  that  they  who  live," 

by  the  merit  of  his  death,  '»'  should  not  henceforth  live 
VOL.  I.  3  o 


490  SERMON  XXXII. 

unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  who  died  for  them,  and 
rose  asjain."  This  is  so  much  insisted  upon  in  the  New 
Testament  writings,  that  the  Sociuians  have  represent- 
ed it  as  the  sole  end  for  which  our  Lord  both  lived  and 
died.  But  though  we  justly  maintain,  in  opposition  to 
them,  that  the  death  of  Christ  was,  in  the  strictest  pro- 
priety of  iangua£;e,  a  true  propitiat<u*y  sacrifice  for  expi- 
ating the  guilt  of  sin,  and  rendering  the  exercise  of  mer- 
cy to  the  sinner  consistent  with  the  holiness  and  justice 
of  God ;  yet  in  expressing  our  abhorrence  of  their  error, 
we  must  beware  of  running  into  the  opposite  extreme . 
for  nothing  can  be  more  clearly  asserted  in  the  oracles 
of  truth,  than  that  "  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested  for 
this  purpose,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  de- 
vil;''  or,  in  otlier  words,  that  he  might  prepare  men  for 
heaven,  by  the  sanctifying  influences  of  his  Spirit,  as 
well  as  that  he  might  purchase  a  heaven  for  them  by  the 
merit  of  his  blood.  And  it  deserves  particular  notice, 
that  though  the  main  diliicnlty  the  first  preachers  of 
Christianity  had  to  struggle  with  among  their  own  coun- 
trymen, was  to  bring  them  off  from  a  proud  dependance 
upon  their  own  righteousness,  that  they  may  rely  upon 
Christ  alone  for  j)ardon  and  acceptance;  yet  in  declar- 
ing this  doctrine,  they  never  failed  to  establish  the  in- 
separaide  connexion  between  faith  and  holiness,  lest 
any  should  turn  the  grace  of  God  unto  wantonness,  and, 
by  claiming  the  privileges  of  the  gospel  while  they  re- 
fused subjection  to  its  laws,  should  represent  Christ  as 
the  minister  of  sin. 

2dbj.  We  are  further  obliged  fo  live  unto  the  Lord, 
as  we  regard  the  iionour  of  our  Master,  and  the  credit 
of  that  saving  religion  which  he  taught.  For  hereby  we 
most  effectually  stop  the  mouths  of  gainsayers,  and  cut 
off  occasion  from  those  that  desire  occasion  to  blaspheme 


SERMON  XXXII.  491 

that  wortliy  name  by  which  we  are  callefl ;  preseiitins;  to 
their  view  a  couviiicing  proof,  that  Christianity  is  an  ef- 
fectual means  of  salvation,  and  that  Christ  is  truly  and 
properly  a  Saviour.  The  death  of  Christ  appears  to 
have  a  miy;hty  efficacy  indeed,  when  it  maketh  those 
that  believe  on  him  to  die  unto  sin.  And  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  doubt  that  he  is  alive,  and  hath  all  power  commit- 
ted to  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  when  he  visibly  lives 
in  his  members  by  his  all-conquering  grace,  and  causeth 
them  to  live  unto  him:  Whereas  a  contrary  behaviour 
doth  the  greatest  possible  injury  to  the  cause  of  truth, 
furnishing  the  world  with  a  handle  to  say,  that  Christi- 
anity is  nothing  more  than  an  airy  speculation,  and  that 
the  religion  of  Jesus  is  of  no  effect  towards  reforming 
the  hearts  and  lives  of  its  professors. 

Sdhj.  I  shall  only  add,  that  we  are  bound  to  live  ia 
the  m  uiner  I  described  by  the  strictest  ties  of  justice  and 
ecpiity.  "  Ye  are  not  your  own,"  saith  our  Apostle,  (1 
Cor.  vi.  19,  130.)  "for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price." 
From  whence  he  draws  this  practical  inference,  "There- 
fore glorify  God  in  your  bodj',  and  in  your  spirit,  which 
are  God's."  As  creatures  who  derived  their  being  from 
God,  we  are  bound  to  love  him  with  all  our  heart,  and 
to  serve  him  to  the  utmost  extent  of  the  powers  he  hath 
given  us.  But  his  redeeming  grace  brings  us  under  a 
new  and  still  more  en<learing  obligation  to  his  service. 
When  we  had  destroyed  ourselves,  and  lay  exposed  to 
all  the  dreadful  effects  of  his  righteous  displeasure,  hav- 
ing no  eye  to  pity,  and  no  hand  that  could  help  us,  then 
did  he  pity  us,  and  his  own  arm  brought  salvation.  He 
issued  forth  the  gracious  command,  "  Deliver  them  from 
going  down  to  the  pit,  for  I  have  found  a  ransom."  And 
in  the  fulness  of  time  our  Lord  .Tesus  Christ,  "the  Lamb 
slain"  in  decree  "  from  the  foundation  of  the  world," 


493  SERMON  XXXII. 

appeared  in  our  nature;  and  with  the  infinite  price  of 
his  own  precious  blood,  redeemed  us  from  the  hand  of 
justice,  and  purchased  for  us  complete  and  everlasting 
salvation.  And  now,  with  what  face  can  we  decline  his 
service  or  refuse  sultjection  to  any  of  his  laws?  It  is 
purely  by  his  merit  that  we  live  at  all :  and  shall  we 
reckon  it  grievous  to  walk  by  his  direction?  Surely  noth- 
ing can  appear  more  just  and  equitable,  than  that  he  who 
bought  us  should  possess  us,  and  that  the  ransomed 
should  be  entirely  devoted  to  their  Redeemer. 

Let  these  considerations  prevail  with  us  to  live  unto 
him  who  **  died,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he  might 
be  Lord  both  of  (he  dead  and  living."  And  while  we 
look  up  to  him  for  that  divine  aid,  which  he  hath  not  on- 
ly encouraged  us  to  ask,  but  commanded  us  to  expect, 
let  us  go  forward  in  his  strength,  making  mention  of  his 
rigltteousness,  even  of  his  only;  that  when  we  die,  we 
may  fall  asleep  in  that  Jesus,  unto  whom  we  now  live, 
and  commit  our  bodies  to  the  dust,  in  the  assured  hope 
of  a  glorious  resurrection:  when  that  promise  shall  be 
fulfilled  in  its  largest  extent,  *'  If  any  man  serve  me,  let 
him  follow  me ;  and  where  1  am,  there  shall  also  my 
servant  be.  W  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father 
honour,"  Jimen, 


493 


1  Peter  v.  7. 
Casting  all  your  care  upon  him, /or  he  carethfor  you. 


Exhortations  of  this  kind,  which  frequently 
occur  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  represent  our  holy  reli- 
gion in  the  most  amiable  light.  It  appears,  in  all  re- 
spects, suited  to  our  present  necessities,  and  friendly  to 
our  highest,  our  most  important  interests.  How  deplo- 
rable would  be  the  state  of  men  upon  eartli,  were  they 
left  to  struggle  in  their  own  strength  with  the  trials  and 
sufferings  to  which  they  are  continually  exposed?  In 
prosperity,  when  the  mind  is  vigorous  and  undisturbed, 
Reason  may  discover  a  variety  of  arguments  for  bear- 
ing affliction  with  patience  and  fortitude,  and  may  even 
suggest  some  topics  of  consolation,  which,  in  the  distant 
view  of  adversity,  seem  to  promise  a  seasonable  and  ef- 
fectual relief;  but  these  are  rather  specious  than  solid, 
and  when  brought  to  the  test,  have  always  been  com- 
plained of  as  feeble  and  unavailing.  The  best  of  them 
are  those  which  lead  our  thoughts  upwards  to  the  Su- 
preme Disposer  of  all  events,  the  wise  and  righteous 
Governor  of  the  world.  But  as  it  is  imj)ossible  for  a 
creature,  conscious  of  guilt,  to  separate  the  idea  of  pun- 
ishment from  suffering,  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how 
the  mere  pursuasion,  that  our  sufferings  proceed  fnira 
one  who  is  incapable  of  doing  wrong,  siionld  yield  us 
any  comfort,  unless  we  are  assured,  that  while  he  pun- 
isheth  our  sins,  he  is  at  the  same  time  willing  to  be  re- 


494;  SERMON  XXXIII. 

coneiled  to  iis;  nay,  that  the  correction  itself  is  the  fruit 
of  his  love,  and  graciously  intended  for  the  cure  of  our 
souls.  But  here  Reason,  unassisted,  is  unable  to  move 
one  step  upon  firm  ground ;  and  though  it  could,  yet,  as 
the  mind  itself  is  too  commonly  unhinged  and  broken 
by  adversity,  any  aid  that  depended  upon  a  process  of 
reasoning  would  come  by  far  too  slow  to  our  relief. 
^'  The  spirit  of  a  man  will  sustain  his  infirmity;  but  a 
wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?" 

In  this  distressed  situation,  when  every  other  refuge 
fails,  divine  revelation  comes  seasonably  to  our  assist- 
ance. So  bright  are  the  o!>jects  it  presents  to  our  view, 
that  they  prevent  the  labour  of  a  tedious  inquiry:  The 
mind  sees  them  at  once;  and  though  greatly  disturbed, 
can  with  ease  discover  both  their  nature  and  their  use. 
The  import  of  a  striking  fact  is  much  sooner  compre- 
hended  than  the  force  of  an  argument.  Thus  when  we 
are  told  "  that  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deliv- 
ered him  up  to  the  death  for  us,''  we  no  sooner  hear  and 
believe  the  fact,  than  we  are  sufficiently  prepared  to 
draw  the  same  conclusion  from  it  that  Paul  did,  "  How 
shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?'' 
But  the  Scriptures  do  not  stop  here:  they  not  only  re- 
late what  God  hath  already  done,  and  thereby  furnish 
us  with  proofs  of  his  mercy  and  grace;  they  likewise 
contain  explicit  declarations  of  what  he  hath  purposed 
and  determined  to  do.  They  abound  with  great  and  pre- 
cious promises,  confirmed  by  the  oath  of  an  unchangeable 
God,  "  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  is  im- 
possible for  God  to  lie,  they  may  have  a  strong  consola- 
tion, who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set 
before  them." 

Of  this  kind  is  the  argtiment  with  which  the  Apostle 
presseth  the  exhortation  in  my  text,  Casting  all  your 


SERMON  XXXIII.  49S 

care  wpon  God,  saith  he,  for  he  caretJifor  you.  Noth- 
ing can  be  more  simple;  and,  at  the  same  time,  nothing 
can  be  more  persuasive.  No  acuteness  is  requisite  for 
discovering  the  meaning  of  the  argument.  And  then  its 
strength  is  irresistible;  ''  for  if  God  be  with  us,  who  can 
be  against  us?"  If  the  great  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth 
vouchsafe  to  become  our  friend,  nay,  our  guardian,  then 
surely,  with  a  cheerful  and  unreserved  confidence,  we 
may  resign  ourselves  wholly  to  his  disposal  and  govern^ 
ment.  The  objects  of  his  paternal  care  must  always  be 
safe ;  no  real  evil  can  befal  them,  neither  shall  any  thing 
that  is  truly  good  be  withheld  from  them.  But  to  whom 
doth  the  Apostle  address  his  exhortation? 

This  question  is  of  importance,  and  must  be  answered 
in  the  Jirst  place. 

Secondly,  1  shall  lay  open  the  nature  and  extent  of 
the  duty  here  enjoined,  and  show  what  is  included  in 
casting  all  our  care  upon  God. 

Thirdly.  I  shall  illustrate  the  propriety  and  strength 
of  the  motive  with  which  the  exhortation  is  enforced, 
God  careth  for  you. 

And  then  direct  you  to  the  practical  improvement  of 
the  subject. 

Nothing  would  give  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  say 
to  every  one  that  hears  me.  Thou  art  the  person  who  art 
invited  to  cast  thy  care  upon  God:  but  it  is  truth,  and 
not  inclination,  that  must  dictate  what  I  say.  The  great 
Prophet  of  the  church  compares  the  office  of  a  minister 
to  that  of  a  steward,  whose  business  it  is  to  feed  those 
committed  to  his  care,  by  giving  unto  each  "  his  portion 
of  meat  in  due  season."  A  promiscuous  distribution  of 
the  bread  of  life,  is  not  merely  unprofitable,  but  in  many 
cases  hurtful,  to  the  souls  of  men:  And  give  me  leave 
to  add,  that  in  no  case  is  it  more  likely  to  be  hurtful, 


490  SERMON  XXXIII. 

than  when  the  subject,  like  the  present  one,  is  soothing 
and  agreeable.  And  therefore,  that  this  word  of  truth 
may  be  rightly  divided,  it  will  be  necessary 

I.  In  the  first  place,  To  inipiire  who  the  persons  are 
to  whom  the  exhortation  may  properly  be  addressed. 

It  is  certain,  that  as  there  are  privileges  peculiar  to 
sanctified  believers,  so  there  are  many  duties  enjoined 
in  Scripture,  which  the  impenitent  and  unbelieving  are 
incapal)le  of  performing;  and,  I  apprehend,  there  is  no 
duty  whatsoever  that  lies  fartlier  beyond  their  reach, 
than  the  exercise  of  trust  and  hope  in  God ;  fo:  every 
part  of  his  word  denounces  wrath  against  them  so  long 
as  they  persist  in  their  rebellion  and  enmity.  "  God  is 
angry  with  the  wicked  every  day.  He  hath  bent  his  bow, 
and  made  it  ready;  he  hath  also  prepared  for  him  the 
instruments  of  death."  And  therefore,  to  persons  of  this 
character,  a  previous  exhortation  is  necessary.  I  must 
address  you  in  the  words  of  Eliphaz  to  Job,  '<  Acquaint 
now  thyself  with  God,  and  be  at  peace,  and  hereby  good 
shall  come  unto  you."  At  present  my  text  doth  not  speak 
to  you  at  all.  If  you  look  back  to  the  foregoing  part  of 
this  epistle,  you  will  see  the  persons  described  whom 
the  Apostle  had  in  his  eye.  He  doth  not  write  to  all 
promiscuously,  but  "  to  the  elect,  according  to  the  fore- 
knowledge of  God  the  Father,  througli  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
of  Christ."  He  writes  to  those  "  who  are  born  again, 
not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word 
of  God,  which  liveth  and  ahidelli  forever."  He  address- 
eth  his  exhortation  to  believers  in  Christ  Jesus,  "  who 
loved  him  though  unseen,"  having  tasted  of  his  grace; 
whom  he  distinguished  by  the  honourable  appellations 
of  "a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  na- 
tion, a  peculiar  people."  These  are  the  objects  of  God's 


SERMON  XXXin.  497 

paternal  care;  and  they  only  are  qualified  to  cast  their 
CdLve  upon  him. 

I  speak  not  thus  to  drive  any,  even  the  worst  of  you, 
away  from  God,  or  to  discourage  your  application  to  him 
when  trouble  overtakes  you.  A  lime  of  distress  is  a  very 
proper  season  for  seeking  acquaintance  with  God.  His 
rod  hath  a  voice  as  well  as  his  word,  and  both  speak  the 
same  language,  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die?" 
All  I  affirm  is,  that  you  cannot  cast  your  care  upon  God 
till  your  acquaintance  with  him  be  begun ;  and  by  telling 
you,  that  the  saints  are  possessed  of  privileges  which  at 
present  do  not  belong  to  you,  my  sole  aim  is,  "  to  pro- 
voke you  tojealousy,"asPaul  expresseth  it,  and  to  make 
you  ambitious  to  cast  in  your  lot  with  ^*  these  excellent 
ones  in  the  earth,"  that  ye  also  may  partake  of  their  joy. 
*<  This  is  the  command  of  God,"  and  the  first  in  order 
under  the  gospel-dispensation,  "  that  we  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ:  and  it  is  only  in  conse- 
quence of  our  obedience  to  this  command,  that  we  obtain 
an  interest  in  the  blessings  he  hath  purchased.  Christ  is 
that  unspeakable,  comprehensive  gift,  in  which  all  other 
gifts  are  virtually  included.  It  is  our  thankful  accept- 
ance of  the  Mediator  of  the  covenant,  that  both  mani- 
fests our  claim  to  the  promises  of  the  covenant,  and 
qualifies  us  to  perform  the  duties  it  requires.  From  this 
account  of  the  persons  who  are  invited  to  cast  their  care 
upon  God,  we  shall  with  greater  ease  and  certainty  dis- 
cover, 

II.  The  nature  and  extent  of  the  duty  itself;  which 
is  the  second  thing  I  proposed  to  illustrate. 

It  differs  entirely  in  its  nature  from  that  carelessness 
and  insensibility  which  the  bulk  of  mankind  too  gene- 
rally indulge.  Many  indeed  enjoy  a  fatal  tranquillity, 
having  no  concern  at  all  about  their  eternal  interests. 

VOL.  I.  3  P 


498  SERMON  XXXIII. 

Their  inquiries  are  abundantly  anxious  with  regatd  to 
the  things  of  a  present  life;  saying,  "  What  shall  wc 
eat,  and  what  shall  we  drink,  and  wherewithal  shall  we 
be  clothed?"  But  they  were  never  brought  in  good 
earnest  to  ask  the  infinitely  more  interesting  question, 
<<  What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved?"  Or  if  at  any  time  a 
serious  thought,  ten<ling  to  this  inquiry,  force  itself  upon 
their  minds,  they  immediately  encounter  it  with  the  pre- 
sumptuous hope  of  the  divine  mercy,  and  endeavour  to 
persuade  themselves,  by  some  fallacious  reasonings,  that 
it  may  be  well  with  them  at  last,  though  they  go  on  iu 
their  trepasses.  Now  the  faith  of  such  persons  is  not 
only  dead  in  itself,  but  likewise  poisonous  and  killing 
to  their  souls.  They  are  perishing,  and  will  not  believe 
it,  till  the  unquenchable  fire  awaken  them  from  their 
security,  and  put  it  out  of  their  power  to  deceive  them- 
selves any  longer.  We  must  not  cast  our  work  upon 
God,  and  presume  that  he  will  save  us  in  the  way  of 
sloth  and  carnal  indulgence:  on  the  contrary,  we  are 
commanded  "  to  work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling."  It  is  only  *'  in  well-doing"  that  we  can 
regularly  "commit  the  keeping  of  our  souls  to  God," 
as  the  Apostle  hath  taught  us  in  the  close  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter.  We  are  exhorted  to  cast  our  care  upon  him, 
not  that  we  may  enjoy  the  base  rest  of  the  sluggard, 
'^  who  desireth  and  hath  nothing,  because  his  hands  re- 
fuse to  labour ;"  but  that,  having  got  our  hearts  enlarg- 
ed, and  freed  from  a  load  that  |»ressed  them  down,  we 
may  quicken  our  pace,  and  run  with  greater  alacrity  iu 
the  way  of  God's  commandments. 

The  character  of  tiie  persons  to  whom  this  exhorta- 
tion is  addressed,  doth  likewise  serve  to  limit  the  ex- 
tent of  the  duty.  It  is  not  every  sort  of  care  that  we  are 
invited  or  permitted  to  cast  upon  God,  but  only  the  care 


SERMON  XXXIII.  499 

of  those  thin,2;s  which  the  Christian  dare  avow  in  the 
presence  of  his  Father,  and  humhly  ask  of  him  by  pray- 
er and  supplication.  We  read,  (Matth.  xviii.  at  the  be- 
ginning) that  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  came  to  him  in  a 
body,  inquiring;  which  of  them  should  be  "-greatest  in 
the  kins^dom  of  heaven."  This  was  a  vain,  self-interest- 
ed anxiety,  to  which  our  Lord  gave  a  siiarp  and  sudden 
check,  by  telling  them  in  plain  terms,  that  till  they 
should  lay  aside  that  ambitious  care,  they  were  not  fit 
to  possess  the  lowest  place  in  his  kingdom.  **  He  called 
a  little  child  unto  him,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  them; 
and  said,  Verily,  1  say  unto  you,  that  except  ye  be  con- 
verted, and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  We  have  an  account  of 
another  very  careful  man,  (Luke  xii.  16, — 20.)  where 
his  picture  is  drawn  with  inimitable  strength.  Ue  is  re- 
presented in  a  musing  posture,  thinking  within  himself, 
and  saying.  '*  What  shall  1  do?"  The  question  betrays 
the  greatest  uneasiness  and  perplexity.  A  poor  starving 
beggar,  who  had  not  a  morsel  of  bread,  nor  knew  where 
to  find  it,  could  have  said  nothing  more  expressive  of 
distrust  and  anxiety.  And  what  do  you  really  think  ail- 
ed this  man?  Did  he  want  bread?  Quite  the  contrary; 
he  had  got  too  much :  his  barns  were  not  large  enough 
to  contain  the  product  of  his  ground  :  "I  have  no  room," 
said  he,  "  where  to  bestow  my  fruits."  And  it  was  this 
that  made  him  cry  out,  '•^  What  shall  I  do?"  If  you  de- 
sire any  further  information  concerning  him,  you  will 
find  it  at  verse  20.  "  But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool, 
this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee;  then  whose 
shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided?"  It 
would  appear,  that  his  situation  with  respect  to  an  heir 
was  similar  to  what  Solomon  describes,  (Eccles.  iv.  8.) 
'*  There  is  one  alone,  and  there  is  not  a  second :  yea,  he 


500  SERMON  XXXIII. 

hath  neither  child  nor  brother;  yet  there  is  no  end  of  all 
his  labour,"  &c.  But  whatever  became  of  h\s  fruits,  we 
know  that  \ns  folly  proved  a  lasting  estate,  for  it  conti- 
nues  to  be  the  inheritance  of  many  at  this  day.  I  believe 
there  are  numbers  among  ourselves,  whose  minds  are 
continually  on  the  rack,  so  that  they  cannot  sleep  with 
laying  schemes  about  the  merest  trifles  in  the  world.  In 
this  age  of  gaiety  and  frivolous  ostentation,  I  make  no 
doubt,  that  the  superfluities  of  dress,  furniture,  equipage, 
and  the  like,  employ  the  thoughts  of  the  rich  (or  of  peo- 
ple of  fashion,  whether  they  be  rich  or  not)  as  anxiously, 
as  the  clothing  that  is  necessary  to  cover  their  nakedness 
employs  the  thoughts  of  the  poor  and  destitute.  It  is  the 
care  of  some  to  overtop  their  neighbours ;  it  is  the  care 
of  others  to  overreach  at  gaming;  and  indeed  the  mind 
of  a  gamester  must  be  in  perpetual  suspense  and  agita- 
tion. Surely  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  it  would  be  impi- 
ous to  cast  such  cares  ujwn  God,  We  are  not  at  liberty 
to  choose  at  random  whatsoever  is  agreeable  to  fancy  or 
appetite;  and,  when  our  passions  are  inflamed,  and  our 
hearts  overcharged  with  disquieting  cares,  attempt  to 
roll  these  over  upon  God.  We  must  first  examine  the 
object  of  our  desire,  whether  it  be  good  in  itself,  and  fit 
for  us;  whether  it  be  consistent  with  and  subservient  to 
our  spiritual  interest :  and  if,  upon  inquiry,  it  shall  ap- 
pear that  these  qualifications  are  wanting,  we  must  nei. 
ther  cast  the  care  of  it  upon  God,  nor  keep  it  to  ourselves, 
but  throw  it  away  altogether;  praying,  that  our  folly 
may  be  forgiven,  our  diseased  affections  healed,  and  led 
forth  to  other  objects  more  worthy  of  our  pursuit.  This 
being  laid  down,  then,  as  a  fundamental  principle,  that 
the  object  of  our  desire  must  be  lawful  and  good,  the 
practice  of  the  duty  which  my  text  recommends  may  be 
considered  as  including  the  following  particulars. 


SERMON  XXXIII.  501 

ist,  A  steadfast  persuasion,  that  all  events  are  order- 
ed and  directed  by  God ;  that  we  and  all  our  interests 
are  continually  in  his  hand ;  and  that  nothing  can  befall 
us  without  his  appointment  or  permission.  This  was  the 
foundation  of  David's  confidence,  when  he  said,  '"  Into 
thine  hands  I  commit  my  spirit :  thou  hast  redeemed  me, 
0  Lord  God  of  truth.  I  have  heard  the  slander  of  many; 
fear  was  on  every  side;  wliile  they  took  counsel  together 
against  me,  they  devised  to  take  away  ray  life.  Rut  I 
trusted  in  thee,  O  Lord :  I  said,  Thou  art  ray  God,  ray 
times  are  in  thy  hand."  Herein  lies  the  diiference  be- 
twixt the  judgment  of  sanctified  believers  and  that  of 
worldly  men :  the  last,  confining  their  views  to  the  ob- 
jects of  sense,  place  their  whole  dependance  upon  weak 
and  mutable  creatures  like  themselves.  They  court  the 
smiles,  and  tremble  at  the  frowns,  of  those  who  are  rais- 
ed a  little  above  them ;  and  have  no  higher  aim  tljan  to 
recommend  themselves  to  the  favour  and  protection  of 
such  persons  as  are  most  likely  to  gratify  their  ambition 
or  covetousness ;  whereas  the  believer,  knowing  that 
God  is  supreme,  and  that  the  highest  creatures  are  only 
instruments  which  he  employs  at  his  pleasure,  keeps 
his  eye  continually  fixed  upon  him,  and  hath  no  other 
concern  than  to  be  found  walking  in  those  ways  which 
he  hath  appointed ;  being  fully  assured,  that  all  events, 
of  whatever  kind,  are  ordered  by  his  reconciled  Father 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  shall  infallibly  work  together  for 
his  spiritual  improvement  in  this  state  of  discipline,  and 
issue  in  his  complete  and  everlasting  felicity. 

2dly.  To  cast  our  care  upon  God,  is  to  make  his  will 
the  guide  and  measure  of  ours.  We  may  desire,  we  may 
ask,  what  appears  to  us  good  in  its  own  nature,  and  con- 
ducive either  to  our  comfort  or  usefulness  in  a  present 
world ;  we  may  lawfully  wish  to  be  delivered  from  trou- 


502  SERMON  XXXIII. 

ble,  to  enjoy  health  of  body,   composure  and  cheerful- 
ness of  muni,  the  pleasures  of  virtuous  friendship,  and 
a  competent  portion  of  the  good  things  of  this  life :  hut 
still  we  must  desire  and  ask  these   blessings  with  due 
submission  to  the  will  of  God,  leaving  it  entirely  to  I. is 
unerring  wisdom  to  give  or  to  withhold  ihem,  as  seemeth 
good  unto  himself.    We  have  a  lovely  example  of  this 
temper  in   the  behaviour  of  David  upon  a  very  trying 
occasion.  When  the  unsuspected  rebellion  of  his  unna- 
tural son  Absalom,  which  threatened  him  with  the  im- 
mediate loss,  not  of  his  crown  only,  but  also  of  his  life, 
obliged  him  to  leave  Jerusalem  in  haste ;  we  are  told, 
that  among  the  few  that  accompanied  him   in  his  flight 
toward  the  wilderness,  was  Zadock  the  priest,  and  with 
him  all  the  Levites,  bearing  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of 
God.  In  this  time  of  great  distress,  when  his  situation 
was  so  affecting,  tliat,  as  we  read  (2  Sam.  xv.  23.)  "  all 
the  country  wept  with  a  loud  voice"  while  they  beheld 
bim  passing  over  the  brook  Kidron,  the  sacred  historian 
informs  us,  (ver.  25,  26.)  that  the  king  addressed  Za- 
dock in  the  following  words :  *'  Carry  back  the  ark  of 
God  into  the  city ;  if  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of 
the  Lord,  lie  will  bring  me  again,  and  shew  me  both  it 
and  his  habitation.  But  if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  delight 
in  thee;  behold,  here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth 
good  unto  him." — What  shall  be  the  issue  of  this  for- 
midable conspiracy  I  know  not ;  but  I  cast  my  care,  my 
all,  upon  my  God  :  in  the  mean  time,  let  the  ark  of  the  co- 
venant be  carried  back  to  its  place.  The  presence  of  the 
God  of  Israel  is  not  confined  to  this  symbol  of  his  grace; 
and  that  1  trust  shall  encompass   me  whithersoever  I 
go,  to  support  and  cheer  me  in  this  melancholy  flight. 
W^hether  or  not  I  shall  be   restored   to  ray  h(Mise  and 
throne,  1  cannot  at  present  foresee  j  but  this  I  know, 


SERMON  XXXIII.  503 

that  in  either  case  it  shall  be  well  with  me.  If  I  return 
to  Jerusalem,  1  shall  again  behold  this  ark,  and  enjoy 
the  Lord  ray  God  in  his  ordinances;  but  if  my  God  iiath 
no  farther  service  for  me  on  this  earth,  1  shall  go  to  that 
place  where  there  is  no  occasion  for  external  means  of 
correspondence  and  intercourse.  Behold,  here  I  lie  at 
the  disposal  of  my  Father  and  my  King,  equally  pre- 
pared to  live  or  to  die ;  to  reign  once  more  in  the  earthly 
Jerusalem,  or  to  take  up  my  eternal  residence  in  the 
Jerusalem  that  is  above. — This  unlimited  resignation 
to  the  will  of  God  makes  an  essential  part  of  the  duty 
which  my  text  recommends.  It  further  implies^ 

^dly.  That  we  renounce  all  confidence  in  the  crea- 
ture, and  place  our  trust  in  God  alone.  We  are  required, 
you  see,  to  cast  all  our  cave  ujwn  him;  not  a  part, 
but  the  whole.  For  thus  it  is  written,  (Jer.  xvii.  5,  8.) 
**  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  raaketh 
flesh  his  arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord. 
For  he  shall  be  like  the  heath  in  the  desart,  and  shall 
not  see  when  good  cometh,  and  shall  inhabit  the  parched 
places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  and  not  inhabi- 
ted." Whereas,  *' Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in 
the  Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall  be 
as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out 
her  roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not  see  when  heat  com- 
eth, but  her  leaf  shall  be  green,  and  shall  not  be  careful 
in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yielding 
fruit."  A  divided  trust  between  God  and  the  creature, 
is  as  foolish  and  unsafe,  as  to  set  one  foot  upon  a  rock 
and  the  other  upon  the  quick  sand.  We  must,  as  I  for- 
merly observed,  be  diligent  in  the  use  of  means;  for  thus 
the  commandment  runs,  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do 
good  ;"  but  at  the  same  time  we  must  look  beyond  and 
above  all  means  to  God  himself  for  success;  saying,  as 
David  did,  "  My  soul,  wait  thou  only  upon  God ;  for 


g04(  SERMON  XXXIII. 

my  expectation  is  from  him.  He  only  is  my  rock  and 
my  salvation;  he  is  my  defence;  1  shall  not  be  moved. 
In  God  is  my  salvation  and  my  glory ;  the  roclt  of  my 
strength,  and  ray  refuge  is  on  God."  Once  more,  in  the 
^th  place,  To  cast  all  our  care  upon  God,  implies  a 
full  and  unsuspecting  dependance  upon  his  wisdom  and 
goodness;  such  a  dependance  as  quiets  the  mind,  dispos- 
ing it  to  wait  patiently  upon  God,  and  to  accept  with 
thankfulness  whatsoever  he  is  pleased  to  appoint.  The 
Christian  who  hath  learned  this  important  lesson,  not 
only  brings  his  cares  to  the  throne  of  grace,  but  there 
also  he  leaves  them,  and,  like  Hannah,  returns  with  hi^ 
countenance  no  more  sad.  Having,  by  prayer  and  sup- 
plication, with  thanksgiving,  made  his  requests  known 
to  God,''  his  mind  is  at  rest,  "  he  is  careful  for  noth- 
ing;" he  hath  put  all  his  interests  into  the  best  hands; 
he  hath  committed  them  to  One,  who  is  too  wise  to  be- 
stow what  is  hurtful,  and  too  kind  to  withhold  what  is 
good.  In  consequence  whereof,  "  the  peace  of  God,  that 
passeth  all  understanding,  keeps  his  heart  and  mind 
through  Jesus  Christ."  This  gracious  temper  brings  not 
only  rest,  but  liberty  to  the  soul.  It  breaks  all  those 
fetters  in  pieces,  by  which  the  covetous,  the  ambitious, 
the  voluptuous,  are  chained  to  a  present  world,  and 
dragged  at  the  heels  of  those  worse  than  Eg\  pfian  task- 
masters, ^'  the  lust  of  the  eye,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and 
the  pride  of  life."  Whatever  God  willeth  is  pleasing  to 
the  sanctified  believer;  and  the  light  of  his  Father's 
countenance,  amidst  the  deepest  and  most  complicated 
distress,  puts  greater  gladness  into  his  heart  than  the 
sensualist  can  feel,  or  is  capable  of  conceiving,  when 
his  corn  and  wine  do  most  abound.  It  is  this  that  gives 
the  Christian  the  true  enjoyment  of  life.  No  man  can 
have  the  proper  relish  of  any  earthly  comfort,  who  is 
not  prepared  to  part  with  it.  This  looks  like  a  paradox, 


SERMON  XXXIII.  505 

but  will  be  found  upon  examination  to  be  a  weighty 
truth,  Where  fear  is,  there  is  torment;  and  nothing  mars 
our  joy  so  eflfectually  as  the  prospect  of  being  separated 
from  what  we  greatly  love.  Talk  to  a  carnal  man  of 
death,  and  the  poor  creature's  spirit  dies  within  him; 
the  awful  prospect  of  dissolution,  like  the  hand-writing 
upon  the  wall  which  Belshazzar  perceived  while  he  was 
drinking  wine  with  his  princes,  his  wives,  and  his  con- 
cubines, will,  in  the  height  of  his  gaiety,  change  his 
countenance,  loosen  the  joints  of  his  loins,  and  make  his 
knees  to  smite  against  one  another.  Whereas  the  mau 
who  hath  been  taught  to  cast  his  care  upon  God,  can  sit 
cheerfully  at  the  feast  which  Providence  affords  him, 
and  think  of  his  dying  hour  without  diminishing  the  re- 
lish of  his  present  enjoyment.  Like  David,  (Psal.  xxiii.) 
he  can  look  forward  without  dismay,  to  his  walk  through 
the  valley  and  shadow  of  death;  and,  while  the  gloomy 
object  is  in  his  eye,  he  can  say  to  his  God  with  thank- 
ful praise,  "  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the 
presence  of  mine  enemies  ;  thou  anointest  my  head  with 
oil,  my  cup  runneth  over:  surely  goodness  and  mercy 
shall  follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life;  and  I  will  dwelt 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever." 

Thus  have  I  opened  the  meaning  of  the  exhortation, 
and  at  the  same  time  attempted  to  give  you  a  general 
view  of  the  dignity  and  exceller^e  of  the  temper  it  re- 
commends. But  the  most  persuasive  motive  to  the  prac- 
tice of  this  duty,  is  that  which  the  Apostle  himself  mak- 
eth  use  of  in  the  close  of  the  verse,  where  he  giveth  full 
assurance  to  believers  in  Christ,  that  God,  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  carethfor  them.  To  this  I  shall  proceed  in  my 
next  discourse.  May  God  lead  us  by  his  Spirit  to  the 
knowledge  of  our  duty,  and  dispose  us  by  his  grace  to 
the  love  and  practice  of  it,  for  Christ's  sake.  Amen. 

VOL,  I.  3  Q 


^oa 


1  Peter  v.  7. 
Casting  all  ijour  care  upon  him, /or  he  carethfor  you. 


1  HESE  words  contain  a  pressing  exhortation  to  an 
important  duty,  and  a  most  persuasive  argument  to  en- 
force the  practice  of  it.  It  was  an  apostle  of  Christ  who 
gave  the  exhortation,  and  he  addressed  it  to  believers 
in  Christ;  not  to  those  who  barely  professed  Christiani- 
ty in  opposition  to  Heathenism,  but  to  real  saints,  as 
distinguished  from  mere  nominal  Christians,  "who  have 
a  form  of  godliness,  but  deny  the  power  thereof."  What 
theircondition  was  with  respect  to  external  things,  partly 
appears  from  the  inscription  of  the  epistle,  where  they  are 
called  "strangers,  scattered  abroad  throughout  Pontus, 
Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia."  Such  persons 
were  not  likely  to  enjoy  much  worldly  ease  or  affluence; 
and  indeed  we  have  positive  evidence  that  they  did  not; 
for  we  are  told  expressly,  that  *'  they  were  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations,"  reproached  asevil-doers, 
and  cruelly  persecuted  for  the  name  of  Christ.  Nay,  as 
if  these  trials  had  been  only  the  beginning  of  sorrows, 
the  Apostle  forewarns  them,  at  the  I2th  verse  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  that  they  were  soon  to  enter  upon  a  new 
scene  of  sufferings;  the  severity  of  which  should  far  ex- 
ceed any  thing  they  had  yet  felt.  "  Beloved,"  saith  he, 
"  think  it  not  strange  concerning  i\\^  fiery  trial  whicii  is 
to  try  you,  as  though  some  strange  tiling  happened  unto 
you ;  but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's 


SERMON  XXXIV.  50y 

sufferings;  that  when  his  g;lory  shall  be  revealeJ,  ye  may- 
be glad  also  with  exceeding  joy.'' 

We  can  hardly  doubt,  that  such  an  awful  prospect 
would  beget  many  anxious,  disquieting  thoughts.  Cares 
it  behoved  them  to  have;  not  about  the  trivial  accommo- 
dations of  a  present  life,  theirs  would  be  of  a  more  seri- 
ous and  important  nature :  How  they  should  quit  them- 
selves like  men,  and  maintain  their  ground  against  the 
craft  of  seducers,  and  the  furious  attacks  of  persecuting 
zeal;  how  they  should  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  their 
Saviour,  and  "cut  off  occasion  from  those  who  desired 
occasion  to  blaspheme  that  worthy  name  by  which  they 
were  called;"  above  all,  how  they  should  recommend 
religion  to  the  esteem  and  choice  of  their  enemies,  and 
become  the  instruments  of  saving  from  eternal  death 
those  who  thirsted  for  their  own  blood,  and  treated  them 
like  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  all  things.  Such,  we  may 
suppose,  would  be  the  principal  cares  of  persecuted 
saints ;  and  all  these  they  are  exhorted  to  cast  upon 
God  :  For,  adds  the  Apostle,  God  careth  for  you. 

This  is  the  argument  which  1  shall  now  endeavour 
to  illustrate, 

1.  By  laying  before  you  the  evidence  of  its  truth ;  and, 

2.  By  showing  its  propriety  and  strength  for  engag- 
ing us  to  cast  our  care  ujjon  God. 

J.  When  we  consider  the  character  of  the  persons  to 
whom  this  exhortation  was  originally  addressed,  it  will 
readily  occur  to  us,  that  the  Apostle  means  something 
more  by  the  care  of  God.  than  that  general  providence 
which  extends  to  all  the  creatures  he  bath  made.  The 
care  he  speaks  of,  is  that  peculiar  and  affectionate  re- 
gard  to  the  saints  which  he  had  before  described  (chap, 
iii.  13.)  "The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous, 
and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers ;  but  the  face  of 


508  SERMON  XXXIV. 

tbe  Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil."  Thus  it  is  writ- 
ten, that  "  he  withdraweth  not  his  eye  from  the  righte- 
ous." "  The  Lord  is  God,"  saith  the  prophet  Nahum, 
'^  a  strong  hold  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  he  knovveth 
them  that  trust  in  him."  Many  other  passages  might  be 
quoted  which  assert,  in  the  most  explicit  terms,  that  God 
careth  for  his  saints  in  another  manner  than  he  doth  for 
the  rest  of  the  world.  But  that  you  may  have  a  more  ex- 
tensive and  encouraging  view  of  (he  evidence  of  this 
truth,  consider 

How  intimately  the  saints  are  related  to  God.  "  Be- 
hold," saith  the  apostle  John  in  name  of  all  the  faith- 
ful, "  behold,  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  be- 
stowed upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of 
God."  Nor  is  this  a  mere  title  of  honour;  the  persons 
on  whom  it  is  conferred  are  invested  with  a  full  and  un- 
alterable right  to  all  those  privileges  which  the  title  im- 
ports ;  for,  as  St.  Paul  reasons,  "  If  children,  then  heirs, 
heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ."  And  can  it 
be  supposed,  that  the  Father  of  mercies  will  abandon 
his  own  offspring?  Do  earthly  parents  care  for  their 
children?  and  can  he  who  hath  implanted  that  disposi- 
tion in  their  nature,  be  unconcerned  about  those  whom 
he  hath  adopted  into  his  family,  and  regenerated  by  his 
Spirit?  Is  it  possible  that  the  streams  should  have  more 
sweetness  than  the  fountain  whence  they  flow?  No, 
surely.  ^'  If  men,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  their  children,  much  more  will  the  Father  of 
mercies  give  good  things  unto  them  that  ask  him."  And 
is  not  this  a  solid  ground  of  confidence  and  hope?  Eve- 
ry believer  in  Christ  may  expect  all  from  God,  and  infi- 
nitely more,  than  any  child  can  expect  from  the  most  af- 
fectionate and  tender-hearted  parent  upon  earth.  But 
this  is  nut  all ;  for 


SERMON  XXXIY.  §09 

Our  Father  in  heaven  hath  in  a  manner  laid  open  his 
heart  to  us,  and  told  us  plainly  what  we  may  lawfully 
ask  and  hope  to  obtain.  He  hath  published  his  good-will 
in  a  variety  of  great  and  precious  promises ;  promises 
that  extend  to  all  the  necessities  of  his  children;  inso- 
much, that  he  their  condition  what  it  will,  they  may  find 
some  gracious  declaration  of  what  God  hath  purposed 
to  do,  which  suits  their  case  with  as  much  precision  and 
exactness,  as  if  their  particular  distress  had  been  the 
immediate  occasion  of  it.  Or  if  any  calamity  should  pre- 
sent itself  to  their  imagination,  against  which  no  effec- 
tual provision  appears  to  have  been  ma<le,  there  is  one 
proniise  upon  record,  to  which  the  believing  soul  may 
at  all  times  retreat,  (Rom.  viii.  28.)  "  We  know  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to 
them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose." 
These  are  the  words  of  him  who  is  unchangeable,  "  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever,  without  any  vari- 
ableness or  shadow  of  turning."  Hear  what  he  saith, 
(Isa.  xlix.  15.)  "  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child, 
that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her 
womb?  yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee." 
And  that  we  may  have  fuller  assurance  of  this,  we  are 
told  by  the  prophet  Malachi,  that  a  book  of  remem- 
brance is  written  before  God,  for  them  that  fear  the 
Lord,  and  that  think  upon  his  name."  Nay,  the  Scrip- 
tures inform  us,  that  there  is  One  in  heaven,  infinitely 
dear  to  the  Father,  who  is  not  only  a  faithful  Remem- 
brancer, but  a  powerful  Advocate,  and  unwearied  Inter- 
cessor, in  behalf  of  all  who  come  to  God  by  ^'  him." 

And  this  may  be  considered  as  an  additional  ground 
of  assurance,  that  believers  are  the  objects  of  God's  pe- 
culiar care.  "We  have  a  great  High-Priest,  who  is 
passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  who 


510  Sermon  xxxiv. 

constantly  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."  Thus 
John  beheld  him  in  vision,  ^^  standing  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  as  a  Lamb  that  had  been  slain,"  displaying 
those  wounds  which  he  received,  when  "  he  bore  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,"  as  so  many  mouths 
filled  with  the  most  prevailing  arguments  for  mercy  and 
grace  to  his  redeemed  ones,  whom  he  then  did,  and  still 
doth,  represent.  We  have  a  specimen  of  his  intercession 
recorded  by  that  Apostle  in  the  17th  chapter  of  his  gos- 
pel; where,  among  other  tender  and  affectionate  requests, 
we  find  the  following  remarkable  words:  "Now  1  am 
no  more  in  the  world,  but  these  are  in  the  world,  and  I 
come  to  thee.  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own 
name  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me.  I  pray  not  that 
thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thon 
shouldstkeep  them  from  the  evil.  Neither  pray  I  for 
these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me 
through  their  word."  In  such  terms  did  our  Lord  recom- 
mend his  immediate  followers,  and  all  his  disciples  in 
succeeding  generations,  to  the  protection  and  care  of  his 
heavenly  Father.  And  may  not  this  beget  in  us  the  full- 
est and  most  joyful  assurance,  that  God  doth,  and  al- 
ways will,  care  for  them?  And  still  more,  when  we 
consider,  that  he  who  thus  intercedes  in  their  behalf,  is 
himself  possessed  of  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth, 
and  is  constituted  Head  over  all  things  for  the  church. 
"I  am  he,"  said  he,  "that  was  dead,  and  am  now  alive, 
and  behold  I  live  for  evermore,  and  have  the  keys  of 
hell  and  of  death." 

These  are  some  of  the  evidences  which  the  Scriptures 
afford  us,  that  God  careth  for  sanctified  believers.  The 
relation  he  bears  to  them,  the  promises  he  hath  given  to 
them,  the  constant  prevailing  intercession  of  his  Son, 


SERMON  XXXIV.  gH 

tofi^ether  with  the  power  committed  to  him  as  King  of 
Zion,  all  concur  to  secure  this  important  benefit. 

But  I  have  further  to  add,  that  we  have  the  evidence 
of  facts,  as  well  as  of  arguments,  to  establish  our  faith 
of  the  divine  care  and  protection.  The  sacred  records 
bear  witness,  that  God  hath  been  the  dwelling-place  of 
his  people  in  all  generations,  and  give  us  abundant  rea- 
son to  say,  with  David,  "Our  fathers  trusted  in  thee; 
they  trusted,  and  thou  didst  deliver  them.  They  cried 
unto  thee,  and  were  delivered  ;  they  trusted  in  thee,  and 
were  not  confounded."  And  God  is  always  in  one  mind : 
"  He  is  the  rock,,  his  work  is  perfect,  and  all  his  ways 
are  judgment;  a  God  of  truth  and  without  iniquity,  just 
and  right  is  he." 

What  signal  appearances  hath  he  made  in  every  age 
for  the  protection  and  safety  of  his  peculiar  people? 
Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  formidable  than  Pha- 
raoh's preparation  against  the  Israelites ;  the  whole 
strength  of  an  extensive  and  potent  empire  employed 
against  an  undisciplined  company  of  fugitives,  who  had 
long  been  dispirited  by  oppression  and  slavery:  but 
though  the  bush  was  all  in  a  flame,  yet  it  was  not  con- 
sumed: when  the  enemy  said,  "  I  will  pursue,  I  will 
overtake,  I  will  divide  the  spoil,  my  lust  shall  be  satis- 
fied on  them,  I  will  draw  the  sword,  my  hand  shall  de- 
stroy them :" — then  the  sea  opened  a  passage  for  their 
escape,  and  overwhelmed  their  enemies ;  "  God  did  blow 
with  his  wind,  the  sea  covered  them,  they  sank  as  lead 
in  the  mighty  waters."  How  wonderful  were  the  steps 
of  Joseph's  advancement  to  which  his  father  and  breth- 
ren owed  their  preservation  in  a  time  of  famine?  And  no 
less  wonderful  was  the  defeat  of  Haman's  wicked  at- 
tempt to  cut  off  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  as  one  man. 
lu  either  case  the  failing  of  one  circumstance  would 


gia  SERMON  XXXIV. 

have  varied  the  event ;  and  yet  each  circumstance  in 
both,  when  viewed  apart,  seems  purely  accidental ;  nay, 
some  of  them  appear  at  first  sight  rather  adverse  than 
favourable.  And  lest  any  should  imagine  that  these,  and 
other  deliverances  of  the  like  nature,  were  really  casual, 
and  therefore  no  proofs  of  God's  gracious  protection,  let 
it  be  observed,  that  in  two  of  the  instances  I  have  men- 
tioned, the  events  were  the  direct  and  immediate  an- 
swers of  prayer.  Thus  the  Red  Sea  was  divided  when 
Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  "cried  unto  the  Lord." 
And  Haman's  plot  was  detected  and  broken  on  that 
very  day  which  Esther  and  Mordecai  had  set  apart  for 
fasting  and  prayer.  To  which  I  may  add,  that  Asa  ob- 
tained a  complete  victory  over  his  enemies,  after  he  had 
uttered  that  fervent  supplication,  "  Help  us,  O  Lord  our 
God."  And  the  apostle  Peter  was  brought  out  of  prison 
by  the  ministry  of  an  angel,  on  that  very  night  when 
prayer  was  offered  up  by  the  church  in  his  behalf. 

You  see,  then,  upon  the  whole,  that  the  truth  of  the 
Apostle's  assertion  in  the  text  is  supported  and  confirm- 
ed by  every  kind  of  evidence  we  could  wish  to  obtain. 
Let  us  now  consider, 

IL  The  propriety  and  force  of  the  argument  for  en- 
gaging us  to  cast  our  care  upon  God.  This  branch  of 
the  subject  will  need  little  illustration.  For, 

ist.  If  God  carethfor  us,  when  we  have  one  to  care 
for  us  who  is  infinitely  wise,  who  is  perfectly  acquainted 
with  all  our  wants,  and  can  never  mistake  in  judging 
what  is  best  for  us.  We  may  choose  many  things  appa- 
rently good,  the  possession  of  which  would  prove  hurt- 
ful to  our  souls ;  for,  as  Solomon  observed  long  ago, 
(and  daily  experience  confirms  the  observation)  "  No 
man  knoweth  what  is  good  for  man  in  this  life."  There 
are  many  latent  seeds  of  corruption  in  our  hearts  that 


SERMON  XXXIV.  gX3 

we  do  not  at  present  suspect,  and  perbapg  shall  never 
discover,  unless  a  proper  temptation  bring  them  forth  to 
our  view.  David,  whose  conscience  was  so  tender  in  the 
wilderness,  that  it  smote  him  for  cutting  off  the  skirt  of 
Saul's  garment,  continued  insensible  tor  a  long  time  un- 
der the  most  aggravated  guilt,  after  he  was  fixed  in  the 
peaceable  possession  of  a  throne.  Hezekiah,  whose  de- 
votion was  so  humble  and  ardent  in  the  time  of  his  sick- 
ness, waxed  proud  and  vain-glorious  when  restored  to 
health;  insomuch  that  "  he  brought  wrath  upon  him- 
self, and  upon  Judah,  and  upon  Jerusalem."    Many 
who,  in  a  low  estate,  were  humane  and  kind,  and  did 
good  with  the  little  they  possessed,  have  been  so  intoxi- 
cated with  the  full  cup  of  prosperity,  that,  for  a  seasou 
at  least,  they  have  forgotten  themselves,  their  neighbour, 
iiay,  their  God,  and  become  quite  the  reverse  of  what 
they  formerly  appeared  to  be.  One  thing  is  certain,  that 
if  left  to  our  own  choice  we  should  never  feel  distress 
or  affliction  of  any  kind ;  and  yet  the  Scriptures  assure 
us,  and  our  own  observation  may  convince  us  of  the 
truth  of  it,  that  adversity  is  more  friendly  to  reliHou 
than  prosperity.  Our  diseased  nature  requires  bitter  me- 
dicines much  oftener  than  cordials ;   even  the  best  need 
frequently  to  be  dieted,  and  brought  low,  to  keep  their 
feverish  passions  and  appetites  within  bounds.  Now  God 
is  perfectly  acquainted  with  all  the  tendencies  of  our  na- 
ture, and  can  therefore  judge  with  unerring  skill  what 
things  are  best  for  us,  and  most  conducive  to  our  inter- 
est.   He  knows  what  measure  of  health,  or  riches,  or 
honours,  we  shall  be  able  to  bear,  or  be  disposed  to  im- 
prove; when,  and  in  what  proportion,  pain,  or  sickness, 
or  poverty,  or  reproach,  are   necessary  to  expel  some 
spiritual  distemper,   to  exercise  and  strengthen  some 
languishing  grace,  or  to  make  room  in  the  heart  for  his 

VOL.  I.  3  li 


51^  SERMON  XXXIV. 

own  flivine  presence.  Again,  let  our  enemies  plot  against 
us  in  the  most  secret  manner;  let  them  shut  themselves 
up  in  the  closest  retirement;  yet  it  is  impossible  for  them 
to  hide  their  consultations  from  God,  "  who  discovereth 
deep  things  out  of  darkness,  and  bringeth  to  light  the 
shadow  of  death."  When  Benhadad  had  failed  in  his 
repeated  attempts  to  cut  off  the  armies  of  Israel  by  sur- 
prise, his  heart  was  sore  troubled  ;  and  suspecting  treach^ 
ery  in  his  own  court,  he  called  his  servants  together,  and 
said  unto  them,  "  Will  ye  not  shew  me  which  of  us  is 
for  the  King  of  Israel?"  To  which  one  of  his  servants 
replied,  "  None,  my  Lord,  0  King;  but  Elishathe  pro- 
phet that  is  in  Israel,  telleth  the  king  of  Israel  the  words 
tliat  thou  speakest  in  thy  bed-chamber."  Nay,  he  can 
preserve  his  people  from  the  effects  of  their  own  folly, 
as  well  as  from  the  craft  and  malice  of  their  enemies. 
"  The  Lord  kuoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of 
temptation:" — "He  leadeth  the  blind  in  a  way  that 
they  knew  not;'" — "  He  giveth  understanding  to  the 
simple:" — "  The  meek  will  he  guide  in  judgment,  the 
meek  will  he  teach  his  way."  And  if  infinite  Wisdonoi 
take  the  disposal  of  our  lot,  if  he  who  cannot  err  vouch- 
safe to  become  both  our  guardian  and  our  guide,  with 
what  unsuspecting  trust  may  we  commit  ourselves  into 
his  hands,  and  cheerfully  acquiesce  in  all  the  determi. 
nations  of  his  Providence?  Especially  when  we  con- 
sider, 

^dhj.  That  his  potcer  is  equal  to  his  icisdom,  "  What- 
soever the  Lord  pleaseth,  that  doth  he  in  heaven,  in  the 
earth,  and  in  the  sea,  and  in  all  deep  places."  He  caus- 
eth  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him ;  a?id  the  remainder 
thereof  he  is  able  to  restrain.  All  the  power  of  the  crea- 
tures is  derived  from  him,  and  dependant  upon  him. 
The  haughtiest  tyrant  upon  earth  is  only  the  rod  of  his 


SERMON  XXXIV.  51 5r 

an2;er,  whicli  be  employs  for  a  season,  and  then  break- 
eth  in  pieces,  and  tbrows  it  away.  Wben  Pilate  said  to 
onr  Lord,  "  Knowest  thou  not  that  I  have  power  to 
crucify  thee,  and  power  to  release  thee?"  be  at  once 
detected  and  reproved  his  i£;norance  and  pride,  by  an- 
swering; him,  "  Thou  couldst  have  no  power  at  all 
ae;ainst  me,  except  it  were  fi;iven  thee  from  above."  And 
as  the  power  of  God  is  supreme,  so  is  it  likewise  ever- 
lasting. "  The  Lord,  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary."  His  arm  is  never 
shortened  that  it  cannot  save;  neither  age  nor  exercise 
can  impair  its  vigour;  what  he  did  yesterday  he  can  do 
to-day,  and  repeat  it  as  often  as  his  people  have  occa- 
sion for  it.  This  was  the  foundation  of  that  expostula- 
tory  address,  (Isaiah  li.  9.)  "  Awake,  awake,  put  on 
strength,  O  arm  of  the  Lord ;  awake  as  in  the  ancient 
days,  in  the  generations  of  old.  Art  not  thou  it  that  hath 
cut  Rahab,  and  wounded  the  dragon?"  To  which  God 
replied,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  coraforteth  you:  who 
art  thou  then  tiiat  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  man  that 
shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man  which  shall  be  made  as 
grass  ?  and  forgettost  the  Lord  thy  Maker,  that  hath 
stretched  forth  the  heavens,  and  laid  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  ?  and  hast  feared  continually  every  day,  be- 
cause of  the  fury  of  the  oppressor,  as  if  he  were  ready 
to  destroy?  And  where  is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor? 
I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  that  divided  the  sea,  whose 
waters  roared  :  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  my  name."  His 
power  reachetii  to  the  heart  of  man,  to  which  no  creature 
can  have  immediate  access  :  even  the  hearts  of  kings 
are  in  his  hand,  and  he  tnrneth  them  as  the  rivers  of 
water.  Thus  he  promised  to  Jeremiah,  "  that  he  would 
cause  the  enemy  to  intreat  him  well  in  the  day  of  evil," 
Who  but  the  Lord  of  man's  heart  could  have  said  unto 


516  SERMON  XXXIV.  4 

Moab,  and  saiti  it  with  efficacy,  "  Let  mine  outcasts 
dwell  with  thee,  Moab ;  be  thou  a  covert  to  them  from 
the  face  of  the  spoiler?"  Thus,  when  it  pleaseth  him, 
he  can  open  a  sanctuary  for  his  people  in  the  midst  of 
their  foes,  and  make  these  very  foes  the  protectors  of 
his  people.  In  short,  "  with  God  all  things  are  possi- 
ble." He  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
that  we  can  ask  or  think.  This  good  old  Jacob  grate- 
fully acknowledged,  when  he  met  with  his  darling  son 
Joseph,  whose  supposed  death  he  had  long  and  bitterly 
lamented :  ^'  I  had  not  thought  to  see  thy  face,  and  lo ! 
God  hath  showed  me  thy  children  also."  "  When  the 
apostles  had  the  sentence  of  death  in  themselves,"  God 
dispelled  their  fears,  and  preserved  their  lives,  in  spite 
of  all  the  rage  and  cunning  of  their  persecutors.  And 
thus,  *'  in  the  mount  of  the  Lord"  it  hath  often  "  been 
seen :"  deliverance  came  when  death  was  expected ;  or, 
according  to  the  prophetic  style  of  Zechariah,  (chap, 
xiv.  70  "at  evening  time:"  when,  according  to  the 
course  of  nature,  nothing  was  looked  for  but  deepening 
shades  and  increasing  darkness,  "  light"  hath  suddenly 
sprung  uf>,  and  the  thick  clouds  have  fled  and  vanished 
away.  Here  then  is  a  solid  ground  of  confidence  and 
hope :  He  that  carethfor  us,  not  only  Jcnoweth  all  things, 
but  can  do  all  things.  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and 
to  them  that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength. 
"  Fear  not,"  saith  he,  *'  for  1  am  with  thee  :  be  not  dis- 
mayed, for  I  am  thy  God  :  I  will  strengthen  thee,  yea 
I  will  help  thee,  yea  I  will  uphold  thee,  with  the  right 
hand  of  my  righteousness."  Have  we  not  then  the  most 
powerful  encouragement  to  cast  our  care,  onr  whole 
care,  upon  God?  And  still  more,  when  I  add, 

Mhj.  That  he  who  is  so  wise  in  heart,  and  mighty  in 
strength;  so  wonderful  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in  work- 


SERMON  XXXIV.  517 

ing;  is  likewise  possessed  of  infinite  goodness.  Like  as 
a  father  pitietb  bis  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them 
that  fear  hira.  "  God  is  love,"  said  the  apostle  John ; 
and  well  might  he  say  so,  who  was  one  of  the  heralds 
of  that  joyful  proclamation,  "God  was  in  Christ  recon- 
ciling the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  tliera."  Here  then  is  a  foundation  that  is 
able  to  carry  all  the  weight  a  believer  can  lay  upon  it; 
for  "  if  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him 
up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give 
us  all  things?"  What  can  he  withhold  from  those  upon 
whom  he  hath  already  bestowed  his  own  dear  son,  and 
enabled,  by  his  Spirit,  thankfully  to  receive  him  as  the 
<*  unspeakable  gift"  of  God  to  men.  How  firm  then  are 
the  grounds  of  the  believer's  hope?  With  what  humble, 
but  triumphant  confidence,  may  he  cast  his  care  upon 
God,  whose  wisdom  knoweth  all  things,  whose  -power 
can  do  all  things,  and  whose  unbounded  goodness  doth 
constantly  incline  him  to  bestow  every  needful  blessing 
upon  his  people? 

As  I  have  made  it  my  business,  in  every  branch  of 
the  subject,  to  keep  the  persons  in  your  eje  to  whom 
the  exhortation  is  addressed,  it  is  almost  unnecessary 
to  remind  you,  in  the  conclusion,  that  the  comfort  of  all 
I  have  said  must  be  confined  to  those  who  are  Chris- 
tians indeed.  None  else  are  the  objects  of  that  peculiar 
care  which  the  Apostle  speaks  of;  and  therefore  to  ihem 
only  the  privilege  belongs  of  casting  all  their  care  upon 
God.  Permit  me  now  to  add,  that  as  it  is  their  privilege, 
so  it  is  likewise  their  duty ;  and  they  dishonour  them- 
selves, and  reproach  their  Father,  when  they  give  way 
to  anxious,  disquieting  cares  upon  any  account  whatso- 
ever. We  may  justly  say  to  such,  as  Jonadab  said  to 
Amnon,  ^'  Why  art  thou,  being  the  king's  son,  lean 


518  SERMON  XXXIV. 

from  (lay  to  day?-'  Carry  all  your  grievances  to  bini 
who  is  both  able  and  willing  to  redress  them.  Make 
use  of  thy  birth-right,  O  Christian!  and  cast  thj  cares 
upon  him  that  carethfor  thee.  Your  very  reliance  upon 
him,  in  the  way  of  duty,  your  leaning  upon  his  arm,  if 
I  may  so  express  it,  while  you  are  using  the  appointed 
means,  insures  his  protection,  according  to  that  gracious 
promise,  (Isaiah  xxvi.  3.)  "  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  per- 
fect peace,  wliose  mind  is  stayed  upon  thee,  because  he 
trusteth  in  thee.'' 

But  what  shall  those  do  who  are  of  an  opposite  cha- 
racter? May  not  they  too  cast  their  care  upon  God,  as 
the  God  of  nature,  the  Father  of  their  spirits,  and  the 
former  of  their  bodies,  in  whom  they  live  and  move? 
Doth  not  his  providence  extend  to  all  the  creatures  he 
hath  made?  Doth  he  not  clothe  the  lilies,  and  feed  the 
ravens,  and  hear  the  lions  when  they  cry  to  him  for  food? 
All  this  is  true;  and,  in  one  sense,  all  men  without  ex- 
ception are  the  objects  of  his  care.  But  this  can  yield  no 
comfort  to  impenitent,  unbelieving  sinners;  for  the  same 
God  who  sustains  them  in  life,  and  gives  them  what 
they  posse%3,  and  most  ungratefully  abuse,  hath  express- 
ly declared,  ^^  that  though  hand  join  in  hand,  the  wick- 
ed shall  not  pass  unpunished."  I  appeal  to  yourselves, 
is  it  reasonable  to  expect,  that  God  shall  take  the  bur- 
den of  your  cares,  while  you  deny  him  your  hearts,  and 
even  fight  against  him  with  the  fruits  of  his  bounty?  If 
you  think  coolly  upon  the  matter,  I  am  almost  persuaded 
you  will  blush  to  ask  it. 

How  then  are  you  to  dispose  of  your  cares? — What 
shall  I  say?  I  might  tell  you,  that  your  anxiety  will  do 
you  no  good;  and  therefore  it  were  best  to  lay  it  aside, 
and  take  things  as  they  happen,  without  murmuring. 
But  this  were  only  to  amuse  you  ;  fin-  the  burden  would 
-  till  press  you  with  its  weighty  and  all  my  reasoning 


SERMON  XXXIV.  519 

would  amount  to  notliing  more  than  a  cold,  unaA'ailing 
advice  to  struggle  with  it  as  you  can.  But  if  your  cares 
be  very  painful,  though  I  cannot  encourage  you  to  go 
directly  to  God  with  them  in  your  present  state,  yet  I 
shall  suggest  a  hint  which  by  the  blessing  of  God  may- 
be of  use  to  you.  It  hath  often  been  observed,  that  one 
great  care  will  swallow  up  many  others  of  smaller  im- 
portance, and  even  banish  them  from  the  mind  altoge- 
ther. Thus,  in  a  storm  at  sea,  the  most  covetous  world- 
lings have  been  known  to  throw  their  most  precious 
goods  overboard  with  their  own  hands,  when  no  other 
means  could  be  found  to  keep  the  ship  above  water. 
This  points  out  a  remedy;  and  it  is  the  only  remedy  that 
occurs  to  me.  Were  you  awakened  to  a  proper  concern 
about  the  life  of  your  souls,  this  would  have  a  powerful 
influence  to  cure  your  anxiety  about  lesser  things.  Were 
you  brought  to  cry  out  with  the  jailor,  "  What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?"  you  would  find  neither  leisure  nor  in- 
clination to  ask  these  disquieting,  anxious  questions, 
^' What  shall  I  eat?  and  what  shall  I  drink?  and  where- 
withal shall  I  be  clothed?"  All  these  would  be  swal- 
lowed up  in  your  concern  for  "  the  one  thing  needful." 
And  give  me  leave  to  add,  that  when  this  becomes  your 
care,  I  shall  then  be  at  full  liberty  to  invite  you  to  cast 
it  upon  God;  nay,  I  shall  be  able  to  assure  you,  that  he 
will  not  only  accept  the  charge,  but  likewise  give  you 
what  you  care  for,  even  a  complete  and  everlasting  sal- 
vation. O  then  "seek  the  Lord  wiiile  he  is  to  be  found: 
call  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 

May  God  determine  and  enable  you  to  take  this 
course,  and  make  your  worldly  cares  the  means  of  lead- 
ing your  hearts  beyond  and  above  this  world,  to  seek 
rest  and  happiness  in  himself.  Amen. 

END  OF  VOLUME  FIUST. 


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